Back in Black, The Hunger Game's Return (76th annual)
by radieux
Summary: S-YOT closed, feel free to follow along!. Slightly AU. When the capitol overthrows the districts, everyone can guess what's coming next year. Wasting no time, and planning a slight twist reminiscing of old days, the capitol just KNOWS the tributes will have a hell of a time getting out alive. And yes, that IS Seneca Crane! He's a great cover model. Winner announced!
1. Intro

1

**From: Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker SWAG (seneca at hungergames . capitol ) **

**To: Coriolanus Snow, President of all you fools ( prezzie at capitol . capitol )**

**Subject: 76th annual Hunger Games; Arena Ideas?**

**-.-**

**President Snow (shall I call you prezzie?),**

**I have received and read the document you have sent me. I realize, in response to that pathetic little revolt of the districts, you want to make them suffer. And so, naturally you suggest more tributes. I disagree. **

**I believe I have an idea so ingenious, we will not need more tributes to pull it off. **

**eneca-say rane-cay (I can be cool too!)**

* * *

******From: Coriolanus Snow, President of all you fools ( prezzie at capitol . capitol )**

**********To: Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker SWAG (seneca at hungergames . capitol )**

**********Subject: (RE:) Are you an idiot?**

**********-.-**

**********eneca-say, (WTF)**

**********You seem to have forgotten that I FAKED your death last year, and you only survived to tell about it to freak out Katniss Everdeen. Who is dead. So, see, I'm TELLING you, that we need more tributes. Maybe twelve from district twelve? That would work. You know, as the younger generation says... YOLO!**

**********oriolaus-cay now-say (Mine sounds cooler)**

* * *

**From: Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker SWAG (senecaswag at hungergames . capitol )**

**To: Coriolanus Snow, President of all you fools ( prezzie at capitol . capitol )**

**Subject: (RE: RE:) I am NOT an idiot**

**-.-**

**First of all, I can't even pronounce that! So MINE is cooler. So there. **

**MY idea was to do a quarter quell type thing. Even though it's an off year, to show the districts how pathetic they are!**

**SénEecä cRañĒ**

* * *

******From: Coriolanus Snow, President of all you fools ( prezzie at capitol . capitol )**

**********To: Seneca Crane, Head Gamemaker SWAG (seneca at hungergames . capitol )**

**********Subject: (RE: RE: RE:) **

**********-.-**

**********Even though your sass-back is unacceptable, I like the idea. Work on it.**

**********Districts will suffer.**

**************Snow-dawg**

* * *

_**********Kay, did you guys enjoy my pathetic attempt at humor? Just an attention grabber :). So this is a second account for someone who writes mainly in the Clique fandom... so bear with me! I have written several HG S-Y-O-T's before, however, which got deleted. After I get all of the submissions, I'm removing the trigger-word from my story so it doesn't get found! Sneaky, right? **_

_**********So anyway, I need 26 apps... too much? I hope not! This will pretty much be a first-come first-serve story, except if your tribute is terrible. Please use the form below, and PM the subs to me! Each username may submit 2 times at the most, but I cannot guarantee both will get in. It's about a 50-50 chance of me accepting! You will get a short PM back if you have made it! Please note, once you submit I will retain the liberty to change little pieces of your tribute as I see fit, after I check with you! Okay! GO!**_


	2. Final List

**BACK IN BLACK (FINISHED!) POINTS / CREATOR**

**District one**

Female: Glory Spindel (2 points) Tinkerbell980

Male: Alanze Ryder (1 points) JustAWriter167

**District two**

Female: Artemis Owens (2 points)

Male: William Masyn (3 points) solacing

**District three**

Female: Ember Maria Ashes (3 points) Why live a life frowning?

Male: Benjamin Wirespark (4 points) Zephyrme

**District four**

Female: Serena Tranquillo (0 points) Lighty 7

Male: Dylan Seanide (3 points) KatnissandPeetaforever12

**District five**

Female: Summy Kinsley (3 points) KatnissandPeetaforever12

Male: Khan Augustine (4 points) orTherfore

**District six**

Female: Angelina Sparrow (3 points) charliesunshine

Male: Alex Train (4 points) charliesunshine

**District seven**

Female: Piper Ravine (3 points) MTNGWM

Male: Ashton Holt (4 points) mkraemz

**District eight**

Female: Chayene Kanye (3 points) thegirlfromtheseam12

Male: Leo Maverick (4 points) MTNGWM

**District nine**

Female: Brinn Ivory Hagen (3 points) by NewYorkGreen8

Male: Crimson Hale (2 points) Anthony Cullen

**District ten**

Female: Astrid Callow (3 points) MTNGWN

Male: Sean Dmitri (4 points) Zephyrme

**District eleven**

Female: Bloom Rona (3 points) littlechurchboy

Male: Hawk Ericsson (4 points) Peace Love Hunger Games

**District twelve**

Female: Giki Corton (mine, bloodbath)

Male: Jakobb Corner (2 points) miZaru667

**District thirteen**

Female: Clare Brooks (2 points) mkraemz

Male: Jared Pierce (3 points) solacing


	3. one (reapings)

**By a random web generator, here are the three, and only three POV's for the reaping. Enjoy! Please leave a review if you are a submitter, I recommend it (that was a blatant hint, if you didn't catch my drift). **

* * *

**Jared Pierce, District 13 MALE**

"Jared. This isn't something you have to do." My sister spoke from my left.

"Acacia. This isn't my choice." I bark out, chuckling a bit. "Besides, I'm coming home."

"It's always your choice." She murmurs, turning away as the capitol attendee stamps her wrist.

I choose not to answer, instead surveying the immense crowd before us. This is the first reaping of district 13. Ever. The strange thing is, most of these people don't seem vicious, or untamed. They seem... natural. Almost... excited?

Choosing at this moment to protect my eyes, I slide my reflective capitol-made aviators down for shade. The slight smiling glimmer in the sky suggests even the heavens approve this day. Looking around me, I guess the capitol has given us all great reason to be happy. When my district, thirteen, abandoned the war first, I assume that gave us a high rank on the capitol's list, even as we started it in the first place.

Around me, tall red-brick buildings surround the fifty-yard town circle. The stone tile is a light tan-gray, and in the very center stands a fountain built for the very reaping. A circular pedestal stands high with two round glass circles that distort the sunlight, reflecting shimmering parallelograms over the seated bystanders. They're already busy watching the projected movie on the hover-screen, as my sister and I quietly take our places, in the 13 and 18 sections respectively.

The movie draws to an end, ending with the infamous Katniss Everdeen quote, "If we burn, you burn with us!" dissolving into black, replaced with thin red letters devised by the capitol, "The Capitol does not burn."

It says more than our great President ever could in thirteen seconds, and for half a second, no one moves. Although we are now pampered by the capitol, there are some among us that participated in that very campaign. Namely, our brand new escort, Alma Coin. Her hair is twisted into a strict gray bun, but otherwise her demeanor suggests absolute disorder. Judging by her half smile and unfocused eyes, I immediately extinguish any hope of help from my dear escort.

"We start!" Alma shouts, to complete silence. Uncertainly, the crowd applauds. It dies out before she shouts again.

"Shall we draw the male tribute?" She adds, focusing her eyes on the bowl in front of her. Her tanned hand delves deep into the bowl and pulls out a thin slip of paper.

"Let's see! Mister Erych Rooter?" The crowd applauds again. In a flash, I'm headed to the stage. I have no competition, everyone knows I'm volunteering. It's pre-decided.

"I volunteer." I hardly shout, I'm merely ten feet from the stage after all, and even Alma can hear my authoritative voice.

"Alright! We have a volunteer." Her blue eyes lock onto mine.

"Jared Pierce." I say confidently, into the microphone. "That's my name."

"Ja...red... Pierce..." Alma scribbles on a piece of paper, which is confusing, as the Capitol surely is keeping tabs. "Almost done! Female?"

"I volunteer." A smooth female voice says from directly below me. I lock eyes with Clare Brooks. We train together.

For half a second, bile rises in my throat as I look into the eyes of one I may kill. As Alma confirms the volunteer, I force myself to look away. After all, I am Jared Pierce, the oncoming victor of the 76th annual hunger games. Right?

* * *

**Sean Dmitri, District 10 MALE**

"Avery Cottonmouth" Upon hearing the name, my throat catches. _Go(sh)d damnit. _

I watch as the boy dashes from beside me, up to the stage. He seems excited, almost happy. This is his chance. _Go(sh)d damnit! _I repeat, shifting my weight from side to side.

What do I do? What can I do? Surely, this is his chance to show his middle finger to the capitol, to say "Eff you," and die trying. He can't die. His family needs him, for the tesserae, if nothing else. If he goes, the tesserae goes with him, and poor little Anna and all his other little sisters will die. Certainly.

Before I can stop myself, I'm walking casually up to the stage. A peacekeeper tries to stop me, but I mouth 'volunteering' and he steps back, shocked. I want Avery to be on the stage before I volunteer, so he can't do anything crazy, like steal a peacekeeper's gun.

"I volunteer." I say calmly, repeating it once for the camera that zooms in on my face. I lock my fingers into my jean buckles, and step up onto the stage, trying to look calm as I stare into the eyes of my best friend. "I, Sean Dmitri volunteer for the hunger games." I drawl.

Avery's face turns a aubergine shade of purple, and he bares his teeth at me.

"I volunteer, _over_, him." Avery spits.

"That's not allowed, son." Our young escort mouths to him, as he's handcuffed and led away.

"And here we have it! Sean Dmitri, our male volunteer, for district 10!" The mayor shouts into the microphone.

What in earth have I gotten myself into? Just like the cows that head into the kill barn first in search of food, I've locked myself into certain death. All for my incredibly stupid rebellious best friend.

* * *

**Summer Kinsley, District 5 FEMALE**

"No." I hiss, as I take one shaky step forward. "Stop shaking." I whisper, as I speed up. I don't want the peacekeepers to touch me.

"Summer Kinsley?" Jay Kar, our escort repeats. His unnaturally dark blue eyes scan the crowd, and he bursts into a wide smile as soon as he sees me emerge from my clump of fifteen year-olds.

"Ah, a beaut to match this brooding fellow." He jeers, glancing at the sallow boy beside him.

"Repeat your name, hon." He smiles, as soon as I've reached the stage.

I don't trust my voice, but somehow I squeak, "Summer Kinsley."

"And there we have it, folks! Khan Augustine and Summer Kinsley, your tributes of district five!"

As soon as it starts, it's over. My hands are handcuffed (why?) and I'm being marched into our silver justice building. Up a creaky elevator and marched into a room empty of anything but a scarlet velvet love seat. I sit on it, and curl my knees to my chest. I'm still shaking.

A sudden burst of crying alerts me to my mother's entrance. She's sobbing, probably remembering the time three years ago with Marie, my sister. She's dead.

My blunt thoughts somewhat surprise me, but there's no time to delve into the deepest parts of my mind. Suddenly my little sister is on my lap, and my mother is crying into my shoulder. My dad stands grim before me.

"He wanted me to give you this." He says gruffly, releasing a worn leather bracelet into my palm.

"He's not coming?" I clutch the braided chain like a life line.

"No, he isn't."

* * *

**This chapter was a bit rushed, sorry! But I absolutely hate reapings, and I'd rather just get them over with. Don't worry, every tribute will get a chance to shine, and the POV's after this will increase incredibly so. **

**If this was one of your tributes, please leave me a review to tell me how I did. If not, please leave a review about which POV start was your favorite.**

**-rd**

* * *

**0 dead**

**0 injured**


	4. two (train & recap)

**Thanks for all the reviews! Believe me, it will only help your tribute in the end! **

**Again, randomly picked! 5 (mini) POV's this chapter! :)**

**This chapter covers the train rides**

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

At the train station, it seems like there are only cameras. No people, just the black empty stare of the cynical, judging demons.

Huh. Funny, I'm not usually this dramatic. The events of today must have rewired that part of my brain, at least until I'm safely away from these unblinking representatives of satan. Breaking my solemn march, I finally shove one of the camera men away from me as I jump into the train compartment.

This train is far nicer than anything in our district. Rich tapestries line the walls, while the floor is so soft on the edges of my toes, I just have to pull off my shoes and go barefoot. I leave the old, torn shoes in the hallway. I'm sure there will be plenty of other pairs available.

Twisting the silver ring somewhat nervously around my finger, I head towards the center of the train, unsure of where exactly I should go. Midway through my trek, the train jumps forward into it's journey, and I'm thrown backwards, scraping my elbow against the pretty flower trim.

_Great way to start this off, right?_

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE TRIBUTE**

Smoe, the escort, knocks on my door and shrilly shouts, "Dinner!" That voice will forever send me into fear-induced shivers, probably even after

I waste no time in jumping away from the window and exiting the room.

"Did you even... shower?" The sudden appearance of my district partner sets my nerves further on edge.

"I did, Angelina." I narrow my eyes at her, scrutinizing her greasy-looking braid. "Smoe will freak out."

"Smoe _is _a shmoe. And besides, I did take a shower. Girls's hair doesn't dry as fast as guys's."

"Right." An air of such uncomfortable silence leaves me reeling for something to say. Luckily, Angelina isn't one to wait, and I'm alone again before I can blink.

"Coming?"

"Of course. Where _else_ do I have to go?"

I swear I see her smirk.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

"Mum! Mum! MUM! Are they on? Are they on?" I shout, whilst running down the stairs. Probably not a good idea in my imported cashmere socks. Whatever.

"Loxi! They've already done District one. Hurry up!"

"Roll. It. Back!" I yell, somersaulting onto the couch. I can't miss district one. They've always been my favorite district, before this whole mess of the short rebellion happened. I wish Glimmer had won last year.

Mother sighs, and hits the back button as blurry people move backwards. Then, she's once she sees Merry Merrymount, the District One escort starts to open her mouth. I clasp my hands together in excitement.

All the boring stuff we fast-forward past, and finally get to the moment where Merry fishes her hand into the glass bowl. This is it.

"Olllllliviaaaaaaaaa Ollliverrrrsss!" The camera zooms in on a small blonde girl, who doesn't even move an inch, because there's someone already pushing her way to the stage.

"I volunteer! I VOLUNTEER!" A drop-dead gorgeous girl spouts. My jaw drops. Her hair, a natural auburn, makes my fingers instinctively reach up to my aubergine locks. My hair is that color. Was that color. Is going to be that color again. With a flick of my wrist in the air, I schedule a hair appointment with Cinna (the famous-est hairstylist in like the universe) for five this evening. Perfect.

I've missed the tributes names, but the TV already has them plastered just beneath the two tributes as they stand on the stage, waving to the crowd. Glory and Alanze. Undoubtedly, they will become my favorites. I just _love _district one!

* * *

**WILLIAM MASYN, DISTRICT 2 MALE TRIBUTE  
**

It's eery seeing myself on-screen. I watch uncertainly as I, myself, me, whoever that was; take my place on the stage next to Artemis, my district partner.

What the bloody hell was I thinking? Even on screen, Artemis looks deadly. But I'm happy to say, my dark glare straight into the camera makes me look menacing as well. It looks like I'm ready. Ready to win everything. The only problem? I'm not.

I'm watching again, though, once the District 3 tributes take the stage. Last two games, they caused trouble for us careers. Better to get them out of the way early. A short freakishly pale girl stands next to a nerd with glasses. I'm hardly concerned with these two.

I pay close attention to four, as they will most likely become my allies. First, a blonde girl is reaped. She seems hopeless at first, but straightens in time for a tall brunette to stand by her side. She wipes her face of emotion, and shakes hands with one clasped behind her back.

This one, Serena Tranquillo, I'll watch.

* * *

**LEO MAVERICK, DISTRICT 8 MALE TRIBUTE**

"There's no doubt. I'm winning this thing." I say lazily.

Chayene, my district partner, takes obvious offense to this. "Well, mister smart ass, I'm not as confident of that fact as you are."

"Well then, you're just going to have to learn along with the rest of Panem."

* * *

_**Expect the next chapter tomorrow! Things are getting geared up.**_

_**More capitol POV's or less?**_

_**Remember, reviews count!**_

_**rd**_


	5. three (prep & chariot rides)

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

"I am _so _glad we got re-assigned to District 1 this year." Venia, the woman with gold tattoos completely encompassing her body, sighs. "Much less hair to deal with."

"I know! Katniss was such a sweetheart, but that leg hair, I swear." Flavius, the man with orange corkscrew-curled hair spouts. I close my eyes as they prattle on. Katniss this, Katniss that. What a crock of bull-crap. I just think everyone should be thankful miss Mockingjay didn't get us all killed. Or get the Hunger Games taken away. This was something I've been planning for ten years. I should have volunteered in the 74th games, even though I was only 15. Unlike the airhead of the District 1 training center, Glimmer, I'm trained to kill.

"Annnnnnd done!" A final pull with the tweezers, and Flavius grins.

"You're so pretty." Octavia reaches a hand out to touch my shoulder. "Practically born a beauty base zero."

"Indeed." The deep voice of Fiv, the well-known constant stylist of district one. "I"ll have some fun with her."

I stand naked, hands on my hips, daring him to look anywhere but my face. He keeps his eyes on my face. Maybe he's gay.

"Go ahead dear, put on your robe. Let's have a chat."

* * *

**BRINN IVORY-HAGEN, DISTRICT 9 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

"So this is what I'm thinking..." My stylist, Olivia, pauses, waiting. I nod. "You're going to be... wait for it... a _corn stock_! Now how genius is _that_?"

"Crimson has already agreed! Isn't that marvelous? Now, I'm thinking, you could be the normal gold-kind, while he's that exclusive black kind!"

"Olvia." I state, biting my lip. It's not really in my nature to stand up to people, but this warrants it. "Can we..."

"Yes, dear?"

"Do something else?" I squeeze my eyes, apprehensive of the reaction.

"Well." Olivia's cheery manner has suddenly turned ice cold. "Sadly, these costumes have been in the works for a while. Do you know how long it takes to get approval to use real gold on costumes? Two and a half weeks! Insane! So sadly, I don't have anything else. But, I'm sure you'll love these once you get in them."

"What about the old costumes?"

"Last year? But they were corn too!"

"I mean... like... _old_."

"I say, Brinn, you are incredibly arrogant and ungrateful, but you may look in the archives. I will not, however, take responsibility for whatever train wreck you come up with."

* * *

**HAWK ERICSSON, DISTRICT 11 MALE TRIBUTE**

"I like your costume." I hardly hear the words come out of my mouth, I'm so embarrassed. My genius of a stylist has placed me in baggy orange pants and no shirt. The sad thing is, the other stylist for Bloom, my district partner, was sick, so she's in the same outfit as me. We look alike, her and I. We both have the dark skin so common of our district, along with lean bodies and dark darting eyes. She could be my sister. But she's not.

Bloom merely sighs in response. It's not like she's embarrassed, we all go naked when we pick from the strawberry patches, since it's too hot to wear anything, and our dark skin protects us. I can tell she's looking at the other tribute's costumes and wishing ours could be like hers.

The district one tributes are dressed like us, half naked. But they look alright. Strands of pearls and rubies are artfully draped across their bodies to cover anything of value, and they're dusted in gold powder.

District two is more confusing. They have a suit and a dress that look to be made out of blue paper with white lines. "Blueprints," I hear my mentor mumble.

The costumes of District three cause me to stare. The boy, he has a tower on his head. It reminds me of the one's I see in District 11, the monitoring ones. The girl though, sparks are flying off of her. It's so pretty, I stare.

The tributes of district four have tails. It confuses me, as they also have tridents in their hands. Why do they get to have weapons? The Games haven't even started yet! I'm about to ask my stylist, when the blare of the trumpets gets me disoriented. They've begun, I realize, the Chariot Rides have begun.

* * *

**JAKOBB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE**

"I'm hot." I hear the girl next to me whine. I dislike her. I haven't even bothered to remember her name, which is surprising for me. All she does is whine. She seems two years old, instead of twelve.

I'm hot too, I'm tired. I'm sick of being here. I want to go home. All of the things she's expressed and more.

I wonder if they chose two young tributes this year because of the rebellion. Probably. I don't expect to live.

The way I see it, better enjoy life while I can, even if it's in a stifling miner outfit. Soon enough, I'll be even farther away from district 12. This is a way for me to remember the district.

I'm startled when the horses start to move. Katniss's hand is on my back.

"Good luck," she whispers. "Don't show them your fear. Don't let them own you."

Mustering a smile, I nod. I must show them. I will die with dignity.

* * *

**So what did you think? Which one was your favorite this time? **

**Sorry about the majority of the descriptions, the simple-minded tribute just happened to get randomly picked, and I tried to emulate his character the best that I could. **

**Expect an update tomorrow or tuesday. **

**Reviews make me happy :)**

**-rd**


	6. four (night & morning before training)

**EMBER MARIA ASHES, DISTRICT 3 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

"I'm going to die of heat." I growl, half to myself. My flashing costume looked great sure, but the intense electrical working needed to power combined with the lasting sting of whatever chemical they used to eradicate my hair has left me feeling like a plucked roast chicken. Not a great feeling.

"_Actually_." Benjamin, my district partner, pauses to shove his nose back onto the ridge of his nose. "The statistics of that happening are very to the contrary. Only approximately .009 tributes have ever died of heat in the hunger games, and 100% of them died within the arena."

"Fine. Whatever." Why'd I have to get Mr. Smarty-pants as my district partner? Pure luck I guess, the bad kind.

"Marvelous job, darlings." Rosala, our escort purrs as she leads us to the elevators. I used that word for a purpose. This woman, she looks exactly like a cat. Part of it might be the black whiskers permanently etched into her skin, but I think it's mainly her tight cheekbones and shallow eyes.

"Thanks!" Benjamin's eye's are lighting up again. I see it clear in his face, he's about to start spewing statistics again. I poke him in the ribs until the light fades.

Peace & silent is really what I want. Can't a girl get a single dying wish? Or are those void in this hell? Whoops, I meant _capitol_.

* * *

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE**

The buttons. So many.

I'm not usually awed, there's not nearly enough luxury in my life for that, but there are so many. So I stand, naked, craning my neck to read the tiny slanted buttons as I map out what I want for my shower. I quickly find a 'series' button, and start clicking all of the options I want.

_Hot water. Sandalwood shampoo. Hot wax hair treatment. Second round of shampoo, lemonwood this time. Bubble shower. Moisturize & cleanse. _

Almost giddy with excitement (which I try to hide, because it's so not cool for a guy to do that), I press 'start.' Scalding water initially sends me scrambling for the 'off' button, but I slowly get used to it. It's totally like standing under a ship's water trap, but of course, hot.

After about ten minutes of pure bliss, suddenly my hair's indulged in this thick, crazy, strong-smelling shampoo. I hack as I stand under the hot water again, finally realizing what sandalwood really was. As soon as my hair is squeaking, a hot stream of a thick honey-looking substance is dripping out of the faucet. I realize I'm supposed to stand under it, and manage barely not to shriek in agony as the wax hits my already somewhat raw scalp with a sizzle.

It starts to cool almost immediately, and when a third round of water (cold, this time) rinses the heat off, my hair feels almost... moisturized in itself, healed from all of the damage salt-water's done to it. Before I have time to pull out a strand and examine it, a lemony foam dives from the dispenser and cleans my hair once again. It's no use, it's already cleaner that it's ever been. But this second round, it drips off my face with half a layer of scalp-skin disappearing with it. I watch the little white flakes go down the shower, thinking about nothing in particular. I've obviously zoned out, because next thing I know, I can't see a thing. Pink spheres are distorting my vision. My first instinct is to push immediately past them, and get air, but as they start to find my skin and pop, leaving a pleasant cooling sensation behind, I realize these are bubbles, not deadly game maker attacks.

Already got my cautious mindset ready for the games.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE**

I don't bother going to dinner. I know what's waiting. The recap of the chariot rides, at best. At worse, Halt & Johanna, our mentors will probably get too drunk and start retelling stories of their games, which I never in my life will want to hear. There's a rumor going around our district that Johanna got water-tortured, and had to watch Finnick Odair, Annie Cresta & a couple of others get murdered brutally in front of her. That's why she's turned to drink, just like old Haymitch from District 12 has.

If I win, which won't happen, I really hope I'll be able to retain at least a quarter of my sanity. Or maybe an eighth.

But just like Johanna, I'm not one to go down without a fight. So I don't spend one my night in vain, wallowing around on the floor, or something like that.

I plan. Normally, before the rebellion, they wouldn't let an insignificant tribute like me anywhere near Hunger Games tapes. But with Johanna & Holt giggling into their dinnerplates and Piper no where to be seen, I'm able to creep into the living room of our quarters and snatch a random tape.

There's a large screen built right into the wall, and so at a press of the button, I'm hearing the trumpets blare.

_Let the Games begin_, I think restlessly. _But not for real._

* * *

**ARTEMIS OWENS, DISTRICT 2 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

I hate mornings. I truly do. If I could kill mornings, I would.

In fact, going into the arena will probably help me with my hate of mornings. Every morning, I can take my fury and channel it into my knife, hopefully finding and killing a tribute quickly. It'll do wonders for my kill list, and the number of sponsors will go throw the roof.

Poor William. He doesn't even have a chance. I eye him now, as he finishes his simple breakfast of grain in milk. Tall, muscled, somewhat handsome. Seems like the boy I'd go for, if I cared. My... what do you call it? type.

He only looks up after I've dropped my fork onto my plate.

"Y'okay?" His brow crinkles. He's not quite looking at me.

"Of course I'm fine." I sneer, my moment of curiosity gone, and he returns to his plate when the door bursts open. There stands our escort, her red curled wig slightly askew.

"We're late!" she screeches. "Your training! GO!"

"But-" William pouts, looking back at the food.

"No matter! GO!"

* * *

**So... what did you think? Am I going to fast? I decided to place a chapter between chariot and training day one, as I've skipped so much. Do you like how fast it's going? **

**Again, what was your favorite POV this time? **

**radieux**


	7. five (training day one)

**BLOOM RONA, DISTRICT 11 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_littlechurchboy22)_**

This room has a bad aura. I can feel it deep within my bones. Nothing so far in the games has given me this bad of a feeling, and that's saying something. It reminds me of the feeling the peacekeepers around my district give off. Except for Seth, of course.

Seth is my prince. In my daydreams, he's a rich peacekeeper who's from a secret royal family. At night, when I dream, a typical occurrence is for him to carry me away... away from Panem. Away from my mother's suffering. Away from my father's emptiness.

Anyway, back to the training room: It's bad. I can just feel the hundreds of now-dead tributes's absurd hopes and dreams. A wish that maybe, just maybe they could get out alive.

I'm the only one sitting on the floor. The careers, the three districts that are here, anyways, look down on me with glints in their eyes. They think I'll be easy. I probably will be, I agree. But in no way am I going down without a fight.

When the last tributes arrive, the pair from two, the head-trainer steps into our circle.

"Welcome to the Hunger Games Honorary Training Area." Her voice is flat. A tag pinned to her chest proclaims her as "Ella Paylor."

"Here, for three days, you will train for the seventy-sixth annual hunger games. Please welcome Alma Coin with statistics."

"Hello, tributes!" This woman is more animated, albeit the nervous glances she tosses at the game makers. "This statistics were compiled from the previous seventy-five... seventy-four, Hunger Games. Please adjust your thoughts for 26 tributes. These are purely for educational use by the tributes." She clears her throat with another glance at the people in the stands.

"On average, forty-one percent of tributes die within the blood b-" she blanched, stumbling to fix her mistake, "first twelve hours of the games. Including those, approximately eighty percent of tributes will die from combat. Four percent from dehydration. Twelve percent will die from ailments or lack of supplies, including malnourishment or unknown reasons." Paylor gives her a nod, and steps forward again.

"The list of the stations are-"

* * *

**ANGELINA SPARROW, DISTRICT 6 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_charliesunshine_)**

"Knives throwing. Spear throwing/combat. General Combat. Electrical Workings. Swords"

I tune out as soon as I hear my best weapon called. I'm not very good at working with long swords, but short ones, I can handle. I think. Truthfully, I've never really tried. I didn't get many opportunities at home, so I have to guess.

As soon as the whistle blows though, I'm on the move. I make a beeline for the knife station, elbowing a runt from twelve as I go. I can't feel bad for anyone if I'm to win the games.

At the knife station, I find someone has beat me there. Artemis, the frighteningly gorgeous monster of a girl from two has beaten me there. Even from fifteen yards away, I can see her wave the trainer off and eagerly pick up a long dagger. It's sword like, sure, but the curved end and the twisted blade identifies it as a Slicer, with convenient twists of metal to inflict as much damage as possible. It's a great sword for combat.

As I creep closer, she vaults over the training gate and immediately tears into a dummy. I can feel the hot glare of eyes on my back, and as I turn, I notice almost every game maker focused completely on her. I sulk as I creep up to the desk and get simple instructions from the trainer, as I half-watch Artemis skewer the dummy in ways I never thought possible.

Before I know what I'm doing, I'm walking away. I can't do this. Not here, not right now.

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE TRIBUTE** _**(mkraemz)**_

We travel in a pack. Me, Jared, District 1, 2 & 4. It's going to be a big career pack this year. Eight vs eighteen regular people. Clean sweep. It's automatic that we've made a pact for final eight. Then, we have to fill in the blanks ourself.

The problem is, most of these kids I can't imagine killing myself. The arrogant girl from two? Sure. The innocent, smiley girl from four? Not so much. Maybe she'll be easier to kill in the games. Right now, as I easily parry her weak strikes with a spear, I know she'll be easy to kill physically. If I could just push my thoughts away.

"Hey, hey hey!" The trainer comes running over. We instinctively drop our weapons. "No fighting between tributes!"

"Sorry sir." We both say in unison, trying not to crack up behind our solemn pouty-lips.

"Just don't let it happen again."

* * *

**CHAYENE KAYNE, DISTRICT 8 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_thegirlfromtheseam12_)**

Lunch is awkward as hell. I sit by myself, barely touching my salad. A chicken caesar, they call it. It's good. Much better than the spinach doused with low-grade butter and water we get at home.

It's such a long and torturous thirty minutes, I don't really know what to do with myself after it's over. I covered the main stations so far. Only the outside rim, with mainly district-specific (not that I couldn't say, go to a district twelve station) remains. As soon as I see the career pack in my peripheral vision, I take off and land at a random station. My mind stretches to make sense of the short bladed instruments before me. A word floats into my mind. _Axe. _

I see the tributes from District seven slowly jog up beside me. Oh, right. Seven, lumber. Lumber, axes. I'm reluctant to stay, yet worried if I leave, this could be the one thing I'm good at. So I pick up an axe casually, tell the trainer I want to just try, and take the heavy weapon by the handle. I breathe deeply, trying to get over my social anxiety.

I try and throw directly towards the surprisingly human-like dummy's chest. With a sickening crack of pseudo-bone, I look up, astounded. Instead of landing in the chest, as I planned, the axe is buried hull-deep in it's cranium.

"Nice job, Chayene." The girl from district seven says casually. "Not bad at all."

"Yeah, was that your first time?" The boy says, uncertainly.

"Uh, yea." I blush. For the first time, I look at their faces. They can't be much younger than me, eighteen.

The girl whispers something in the boy's ear. He nods.

"Would you like to join our alliance?" My jaw drops. The boy just said, quite possibly, the seven most important words of the games. They want me. As an ally.

* * *

Ahhhh! Sorry for that. Needed to get it over with.

Do you want another training chapter? Or just the scores?

What was your favorite POV?

radieux


	8. six (training day two & three)

**Another chapter! Sorry for the back-to-back ones. If you have not read the previous chapter, please go back and leave a review before reading this one. **

**Thanks for all the reviews :)**

**Reminder: Reviews really only help your character... hint hint**

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (_Zephyrme_)**

Waking up in the morning, I instinctively groan. Day two of training, otherwise known as another day in pure hell. The stations bore me. My memory is uncontested, and I easily memorized the edible plants, the knot tying, the animal and all of the like stations. The weapons, I haven't touched. But who would? I don't want to embarrass myself. Please. Who would?

Today, it's obvious I'll have to go to some. Maybe I can go to that nun-chuck throwing station at the back. Or maybe karate/gymnastics. Could be fun.

An hour later, I find myself at the sword station. I don't know really how I got here, but when I look up and see the other tributes elsewhere, I smile. Maybe I can finally learn something physical without embarrassment.

I listen to the trainer's dirge for an hour, and then finally get my hands on a short sword. Under her guidance, I think her name's Lilly, anyway- under Lilly's guidance, I learn basic maneuvers for another couple of hours, before the brutes (careers) show up and I bid adieu.

I eat lunch by myself again. I'm not too bothered by it. It gives me time to neatly map out the other tributes on a sheet of paper. Personalities, skills, they all come flooding back to me as soon as I open the memory-gate. For instance, see that boy from district nine? He's trying desperately hard to piss off the careers. Stealing their food, mocking them, etc. etc. Death wish? Or just his personality?

And what about the boy from four? They call _me _strange. Personally, I find people awfully strange if they can't even figure out how to climb a tree. Come on! No trees in district three either, but I seem to have a knack for it.

After lunch, I head back to the tree climbing station. I like the trainer there, Georgia. She lets me climb as long as I want, and so I blow the rest of the afternoon away on the tip of a tree, surveying the tributes further. This is fascinating. If I win, I wonder if the capitol would let me move here permanently to observe the prospective contestants. The fear. The glee, in some cases. The horror. The nervousness. Absolutely marvelous! If you take away the death part, of course.

* * *

**CRIMSON HALE, DISTRICT 9 MALE TRIBUTE (_Anthony Cullen_)**

Two frowning stylists join us for dinner after training day two. They add a counteractive balance to Josie & Kole, our mentors,'s giant smiles.

"I just know you two will do fabulous." Josie beams. "Probably at least sixes!"

"They might just win it!" Kole rumbles. His eyes disagree. I think his smile is fake. He doesn't think we can win, I'm sure. He probably expects us to be gone in the bloodbath. I respect him, though. At least he's not fake.

"Thanks!" Brinn says, biting her lip. "I think I'm doing really well with throwing knives. I hit the bulls-eye once today!" A round of congratulatory hugs are exchanged, after which they look at me.

"Um. I like archery."

"Phhh." Brinn exhales. "You're so lucky. See, I'm absolutely awful at the bow and arrow."

"Oh. Really..." Sociality has never been my strong suit. And now, I don't really see how it will help me win the games, not that I want to, but... why waste time? Besides, it goes against my strategy. "Crazy" people don't socialize.

* * *

**ALANZE RYDER, DISTRICT 1 TRIBUTE (_Justawriter167_)**

Glory frowns as my hand finds the bloody mary tray, which is technically meant for our mentors. But, hey, they aren't around, and I've developed a taste for alcohol anyway.

"You do know that this is our last day training, right?" She wrinkles her nose in disgust. I shrug.

"You're going to smell like alcohol when you go in for your private sesh. It's going to be distracting." She adds, looking over my head at the clock. I turn and look at the ticking hands, trying to make sense of the lines and dashes.

"What will be distracting?" I giggle. "This?" I strike a pose, sending the corner of her left lip into twitches. She obviously likes this.

"Come on, Alanze, it's time to go." I carefully stand up, as the sip of bloody mary has already twisted the world somewhat (I don't hold my alcohol well, I've discovered). Not wanting to leave the delicious salty tomato-y drink, I snatch a canteen and pour the rest of the cup into it. Happy now, I race after Glory, slinging the useful accessory across my chest.

We're the last to arrive, Glory and I. When we get there, the trainer immediately lets everyone go. I stand, confused, shuffling, before I see the career tributes gathered at a table in the negotiation tent. Technically, it's a station, but the trainer's MIA, so I guess we get to use it for planning.

"Sit down, Alanze." Artemis, from district two, barks. I obey, still too slanted to really understand what's going on. I take another slug of Bloody Mary, which helps stop the world from spinning.

"So, what I was saying." She continues. "You get a seven or lower, you're out, and we immediately come looking for you first. Eights are good, nines are better, and tens are what we're shooting for." She doesn't mention it, but I'm sure she wants an eleven or a twelve, even though the latter has only been accomplished twice.

"Okay..." I think out loud. "Are we having... tributes... this year?" The words sound funny, and I giggle again.

Glory sighs, and then covers for me. "He's been drinking. Ignore him."

"Heyy!" I bray, laughing. "Answer my question! Other tributes with us?"

"Oh." Artemis' brows knit back to normal. "I haven't decided." She addresses the group. "See anyone you like? Or is eight enough."

"Enough." I say, followed by words of encouragement.

"Alright then." She stands. "We can go back now. Just don't get below an eight. Or else."

"Why... she want us be good?" I slur, to Serena, the district four tribute. She looks alarmed.

"So she can look powerful as the leader of powerful people." She muses, and then darts off to the trident station. I'm left alone.

* * *

**REMEMBER: REVIEWS ARE ONLY BENEFICIAL. **

**So, do you like these three POV's? Look forward to the next chapter soon, which will be private sessions and interview prep. After that, probably an interview chapter/night before, and then a pre-bloodbath. **


	9. seven (private sessions)

**Wow! Three updates in a span of 24 hours! **

**Make sure you didn't miss a chapter to review!**

* * *

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE TRIBUTE (_orTherfore_)**

When they start calling our names, I honestly am still asleep. I rebelled this morning, locking my door and deciding not to go to training. But after lunch, these particularly burly avoxes showed up with a skeleton key, and, well here I am.

"Alanze Ryder?" A low-ranking game maker calls, his rank obvious by his white fur coat. A boy who looks about seventeen gets up, and wobbles towards the doors. Before I see his blonde head disappear, he takes another swig from his canteen.

No matter how drunk he appears, I don't think, historically after like, the twentieth games, any district one tribute has scored lower than a seven. My district, not so much. I remember sixes, twos, even the occasional one. It's not really our fault. We don't train like these maniacs. We don't have the riches. The coolest thing we can do is wield a syringe. And I don't think they'll be a surplus of those in the arena.

After a couple of monotonous hours, they're calling Serena Tranquillo, the district four female. I'm next.

What should I do? What can I do? Why should I even show them anything? Should I use that as my strategy? Or no, no wait. What about just proving them wrong? Not trying, or maybe not doing anything at all! I might even get a zero, a rare rare occurrence. Wouldn't that be great? Everyone would think I was so mysterious, when in reality, I'm just pissed off at the capitol. Might as well have some fun before I die, right?

Right?

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_Lighty7_)**

"Thank you, Serena. You may go. Please return to your quarters now."

I'm breathing heavily, as I nod and march out the opposite door of which I came in. I don't think that was enough. Sure, I hit enough dummies with knives, but probably even the small child from twelve could do that! I'm sure I'll get a six or something, and Artemis will come after me.

The career pack are necessary for me to survive. I need that confidence, that loyalty to keep me driven, or else I might just die in the bloodbath.

Dylan's waiting for me in the lobby, as he mindlessly kicks his shoe against a potted plant.

"Thanks for waiting." I'm still breathless.

"No problem. How'd you think you do?"

"Bad." I blurt, and then cover my mouth. He could go running to Artemis and tell her what I said.

"Aw, I'm sure you didn't." He hits the button for level four with a light touch, careful not to disturb the real miniature fish swimming within the glass. All of the level buttons are this way. One has shimmering rubies, diamonds and green gems that I have no name for. Ten's looks like cow hide, and feels like it too. Twelve's is glass, like ours, but filled to the brim with this slightly-dull powder. Coal dust?

"All I can do is throw knives."

"Please... that's a huge skill. I can't do that." Dylan turns to me.

"It's not going to get me an eight."

"I think Artemis is full of crap. You'll stay in the alliance no matter what score you get."

"But, she's so powerful." I whimper.

"If it's all of us against her, her power diminishes."

"You really think we could overpower her?"

"I do."

And then, I realize he's actually made me feel better. The impossible.

"And you know what?" He continues, but his eyes have drifted away. "We can always make our own alliance, if everything else fails."

"You want me in an alliance?" My breath hitches for half a second. A nod is the only thing I get in response, before he heads off to his bedroom, leaving me standing in the hall with absolutely no idea what just happened.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

The trumpets blare, and with every blast, I feel my excitement rising. The training scores! Finally!

"Hello Panem, and welcome to the Hunger Games!" Caesar Flickerman welcomes us with his all-to-familiar catchphrase. Poxi, my twin sister leans in closer, effectively cutting off my view from the screen.

"Ohmygosh! Get out of my way!" I scream, landing a punch on her ear.

"You always get to see!" She whines, pushing me off of the couch.

"STOP IT." My mother yells, effectively pausing us and the TV. "SCREEN LARGER." The smart-tv grows at her command, filling the entire wall easily.

"NOW SHUT UP." She yells at us. "YOU KNOW THE HUNGER GAMES ONLY COME AROUND ONCE A YEAR, AND IM NOT MISSING IT. SO SHUT YOUR GOBS."

I crawl up onto the couch again, careful to elbow Poxi twice as I settle in.

"PLAY." I shout. Caesar starts up again.

"We've had an interesting bunch this year for the re-installment of the hunger games! Interesting bunch, interesting numbers. So without anymore delay, here are the training scores, presented by the Head Game maker Seneca Crane!" Seneca appears for a second, introducing us again to the games, and then his face is replaced by a gray screen rimmed with gold. His voice continues, though.

"District one!" He howls with excitement. "Alanze Ryder, 8! Glory Spindel, 8!" I just _knew _they would score well! He continues with the numbers, as I scribble them down on my tablet.

**Training Scores**

**{1} Alanze Ryder: 8, Glory Spindel: 8**

**{2} William Masyn: 9, Artemis Owens: 10**

**{3} Benjamin Wirespark: 5, Ember-Maria Ashes: 6**

**{4} Dylan Seanide: 9, Serena Tranquillo: 8**

**{5} Khan Augustine: 0, Summer Kinsley: 6**

**{6} Alex Train: 7, Angelina Sparrow: 5**

**{7} Ashton Holt: 8, Piper Ravine: 8**

**{8} Leo Maverick: 8, Chayene Kayne: 7**

**{9} Crimson Hale: 0, Brinn Ivory-Hagen: 6**

**{10} Sean Dmitri: 5, Astrid Callow: 7**

**{11} Hawk Ericcson: 4, Bloom Rona: 6**

**{12} Jakkob Corner: 5, Giki Corton: 2**

**{13} Jared Pierce: 10, Clare Brooks: 10**

After Seneca concludes, the trumpets come back with a flourish, and Caeser starts his commentary.

"What an interesting year! Three tens, and wow, a new record! Two zeros! Interesting, interesting." After a bit, I tune him out. What I'm really interested in is the interviews. And they're only two days away!

* * *

**Two days people! Wow, right? **

**What was your favorite POV? **

**rd**


	10. eight (interviews)

**What's that? Another chapter? **

**You heard right.**

**Note: Due to a new schedule, interview prep and the actual interview will be on the same day. **

**The games will start on Monday, tomorrow (in the world of Panem). The interview is on Sunday night. **

* * *

**ASTRID CALLOW, DISTRICT 10 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_MGWTN_)**

"No, no no!" Cindy, my escort howls, placing a hand firmly on my back. "You sit like _this_." I reluctantly elongate my spine, to which she sighs in chagrin.

"Don't hike up that skirt!" Is the next thing she yells at me for, as I naturally hike up the skirt to my knees so I can walk. I can walk in high-heels, sure, but there's no way I'll be able to walk in both at the same time. I resolve to do against what she says, so I don't fall on my face at the interview later tonight. Remembering the fact that I'll be on stage in front of thousands, millions, watching, I instinctively curl my spine again to hide my face. At this, Cindy throws her hands in the air and shouts a short command. I definitely enjoyed Loga, our mentor's content portion of the morning.

"Well, I guess it's time for lunch." Fifteen minutes later, this call is my salvation. I get up, try not to run to the delicious food waiting, and finally stumble into my seat. Sean looks up, briefly disengaging with his pot of soup, and then dives back in. I sit down primly, trying to practice, and pick up a plate of what looks like smashed fried chicken with mushrooms and tomato's the size of grapes.

"That's a nice dish." Loga comments. "Chicken Marsala. I always get it when I come here."

"That's nice." I murmur, because really, I'm too entranced by the food. I need to eat as much food as I can, because this is my next-to-last meal in the capitol. No wait, I'm sure they'll give me breakfast. One last meal before I enter the arena, where food is notoriously hard to get.

The arena. The place of horrors. But, I must get out alive if I ever want to see District 10 again.

* * *

**BRINN IVORY-HAGEN, DISTRICT 9 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_NewYorkGreen8_)**

I officially hate my prep team. No question about it. They flit around me like tiny little mosquitos, cooing and possibly trying to make me feel better, but failing.

"I'm sure it'll be quick and painless!" The one with no eyebrows coddles. I'm not sure if he's talking about the interview, or my inevitable death. Probably the latter. But I know they hope that my death won't be quick, or painless. They hope for a show, in which most likely one of the gorgeous scary girls from district one and two, or the boy with silent power from thirteen, will win.

"Listen, dear, Caesar really is okay." Really? Could he be different than all of these incredibly idiotic capitol people? How could it be?

In my mind, all of the capitol people are the same. Completely clinically insane.

* * *

**EMBER MARIA ASHES, DISTRICT 3 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_Why live a life frowning?_)**

"Welcome to the Hunger Games, Panem!" Caeser shouts into the crowd, making everyone go absolutely insane with excitement. I watch limply, almost with the detachment that my parents surely have at home, watching. They can't do anything about my situation, neither can I. The only thing I can do is to hope against hope that somehow I'll be able to return to district 3 alive. Which probably won't even happen. But that's all I have to cling onto right now.

"And here we are, with the interviews! Aren't we all just pumped with the thought of the games tomorrow?" He shouts, earning shouts and thundering applause back.

"Let's kick it off with Glory Spindel, our gorgeous District one female! Let's make some noise!"

I can see Glory, a bit off to my left, stand up, smooth her dress, and glide over to Caesar with the gracefulness of a ballerina. Her dress is beautiful. Appearing to be made purely of diamonds, it stops right before her knees, showing off leg to the men in the audience. They hoot for her.

I'm too embarrassed, for myself, even for Glory, that I block out District 1's interviews completely. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I register that Glory's strategy was too act stupid, and Alanze Ryder, the boy,'s was to act completely wild and fun.

When Artemis steps up, my breath catches. She's still frightening but this time, her beauty has been lifted to match. She wears a black and white gown, that appears to be completely made of round marbles stitched together. On anyone else, it would look odd, but on this- this marvel- it looks stunning. I listen attentively, trying to pick up a tip or two on how to act. One exchange sticks out completely.

"So, Artemis, it appears you're ready for the arena?" Caesar asks with a grin.

"I've been ready my entire life." Her voice empties of emotion. "I haven't done anything but be ready for seventeen years, Caesar."

I'm still trying to decide how to rephrase this answer for myself, so I nearly miss William, the district two male,'s answer to Caesar's key question.

"Well, Caesar, getting far in these games won't be hard for me." He drawls, and I'm left in sudden stage-fright as Caeser bids him good night and calls me up to the stage.

"Ember Maria Ashes?"

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_Lighty7_)**

I'm glad I got my interview over with quickly. Honestly, I feel awful for Jared, my fellow career, because he has to go last. But, he doesn't seem worried. He seems content, his hands locked behind his head, watching Clare charm her way through her interview. When Caesar calls his name, he takes his time getting to the stage, making the audience whisper.

"So, eh, Jared Pierce! Nervous about tomorrow?"

Jared doesn't even have to think about his answer.

"Why would I be anything but confident? I've been ready my entire life."

The buzzer rings soon after that, and then we're off. I somehow find Dylan, and follow him into the elevator. The elevator stops twice to let Glory & Alanze off, and then the two small children from three. Without a word, Dylan and I find our way to the dining room, where an elaborate feast has been set out. We gorge ourselves until eight, when the recaps are due on.

My cheeks flame when I see myself, giggling and blushing when Caesar mentions my training score. Dylan is ten times better, seeming quiet, yet charming. His strongest sentence burns itself into my mind.

"You can either win or die in these games, but either way you are gong home. It could be in a coffin or with a crown on your head. If I go home in a coffin, my mother will be waiting for me and that is all I could ever want."

I wish I could have said that. But, again, Dylan Seanide has bested me. And I can't do anything but like him more because of it.

* * *

**Hope that wasn't too bad! Did you like it? **

**Later today, I hope to post the information about sponsoring chapter, but my other account's stories need some serious attention too. **

**Two chapters from now: Before the bloodbath!/bloodbath!**

**What was your favorite POV?**


	11. Sponsoring System

**Hey everyone! **

**I updated, like I promised. So anyway, this chapter will be covering how exactly an author, or a non-author may sponsor a tribute. Already, points have secretly been adding up. Now, if you go to my profile, you will see a list of the authors and how many points they possess. Some of you may be surprised how many points you have or people like solacing may have. Well, signed reviews count for one point each chapter, and followers got two points each, and favorites got an extra point. So, looks like some of you were being smart and being one step ahead of the game! In the future (3 chapters or so) I'll be doing another check on follow-favorites, so it's not too late! **

**Anyway, this is how sponsoring will work basically. A gift can be worth 1-26 points, with examples below to how much a gift is worth. The categories are as followed: Weapons, Food, Water, General Supplies, Medicine, Clothes, and Other (Mystery). Explained here, along with the examples mentioned above: **

_**WEAPONS - As the name suggests, from tridents to bows, this category will get the tribute what it needs to survive. **_

_**(1 - scrap of metal, heavy stick, 6 - shield/flat piece of metal, 15 - okay-quality bow, 24-26 - finnick's trident/cato's body armor)**_

_**FOOD - Obvious. From crackers to eight course meals, this sustenance may just keep your tribute alive. **_

_**(1 - a pack of 3-4 crackers, 7 - a loaf of bread from your district, 18 - a extra-large container of crackers & beef, 23 - Katniss & Peeta's basket)**_

_**WATER - H2O**_

_**(1 - 200 ml of water that may or may not be poisoned, 10 - full waterbottle, 15 - two gallon container of purified water, 24 - recurring supply of water, gallon a day)**_

_**GENERAL SUPPLIES - From a tent to a bottle of iodine, this is where you get miscellaneous items. **_

_**(1 - a curved rock, 6 - an umbrella, 18 - a sleeping bag, 24 - tent) **_

_**MEDICINE - Could save his/her life. **_

_**(1 - bandage, 8 - cough syrup, 18 - generic brand anti-infection drugs, 24-25 - guaranteed life-saving drug) **_

_**CLOTHES - Pretty explanatory.**_

_**OTHER - You'll just have to see!**_

**So these are basic guidelines. You will not be able to request what exactly you want, but you can give me ideas. So, you will leave a review or PM if you want to use your points. If you are a non-submitter, and you answered a point-question right, please identify which tribute you want to gift your points too. If you do not, the points will disappear. **

**Speaking of questions, here's your chance to earn some points. You may choose one to answer, and the first one to get each question right gets three points! Again, if you are a non-submitter, please leave in your review which tribute you want it to be gifted towards. **

**QUESTION 1 - What was Peeta eating (out of a cup) when Katniss came into the train dining car on the first day? **

**QUESTION 2 - Apx. how many thousand people live in district 12 before the rebellion? **

**QUESTION 3 - What do I hate the most? Bees, Spiders or Chickens? (just guess, haha)**

**QUESTION 4 - What is the mutt representing Rue's collar made out of? **

**QUESTION 5 - Who is the first to die (that we know of) in the 74th hunger games? **

**So go ahead and answer! Make sure to review this chapter. **

**sp**


	12. ten (pre-bloodbath)

**Reviews make both of us happy :)**

* * *

**ASTRID CALLOW, DISTRICT 10 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_MTNGWN_)**

When I wake up, I'm covered with sweat. My prep team is standing before me. I'm almost absolutely convinced they're lunatics. It wouldn't surprise me if a doctor told me they were actually clinically insane. Wouldn't surprise me in the least. Actually, it would explain why they decided to spend a good chunk of their lives prettying up children before their death.

Despite my initial complaints, they somehow manipulate me into the shower. I don't get the luxury treatments I received yesterday, though. Instead, I get hot water, camomille shampoo and rose-smelling conditioner. I press my hand flat as I wait for the electrical current to straighten my hair, trying to keep my hand from shaking. It's no use. My whole body is shaking. I might not see it through today, I realize. I might be dead by noon.

I almost shriek when I feel Haz, my ancient stylist,'s hand on my shoulder. I look over, and reluctantly put on the black stretchy shorts and loose white v-neck. I won't be getting my outfit for a couple hours, I guess. Need to travel to the arena first.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_MTNGWN_)**

I hate to say it, but I'm almost glad we're going in today. I'm sick of the waiting, the... the... even the food. It's too unnatural. It's not like home. That's all I really want to have right now, honest. A piece of our heavy white biscuits, with maple jam on it. That's what I want so desperately right now.

But since we're in a helicopter headed probably in the complete opposite of home, I try and manage. I grab two of the delicious, buttery biscuits, jam them together with my hands to make them dense, and ask an avox politely if I may have some maple syrup. It's too sweet, this maple syrup, but it'll do. I think my stylist watches in confusion as I set the waiting delicacies aside and dig into my biscuit. When I'm done, I make another. But I stop here, I don't want to be too sluggish for the bloodbath.

The thought brings me back to the present. I really hope I'll be able to survive the bloodbath, at least. I don't want my death meaningless, mixed up in a ton of other tributes's pictures. As bad as this sounds, I want people to notice me. And I'll be sure to stare the camera down as I take my last breaths. Maybe then, I can hold them responsible.

With all of the bad thoughts aside, I think I'm okay going into the games. Me, the two from district eight, and my district partner, Ashton have formed an official alliance. Each of us would have to be hard-pressed to break it, now that it's down on paper. I know it'll eventually have to end, but maybe we can keep each other alive, if only for a little bit. Chayene, the girl from eight, is surprisingly good with an axe. We all got good training scores. I'm sure we might be able to gain some sponsors, although most of them will probably flow to the careers.

But we'll show them. If it's not me winning, I want it to be one of my alliance. Maybe we can usher in a new dawn of non-career wins.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

The minute I open my eyes, I know I've risen too early. A glance at the clock confirms my suspicion. It's only eight! Two full hours until the games begin!

I try to fall back asleep, but instantly, I know it's no use. I'm way too excited! I consider taking a shot to get a couple more hours over with, but I remember there's a special sponsor-oriented discussion that started at six and continues till ten. It will go over each tribute, their height/weight/ token/ likelyhood of winning and such.

It's not as interesting as the actual games, but it'll do. When I get downstairs, I find the couch already occupied by my obnoxious sister, Poxi.

"Couldn't sleep either?" Her eyes are fixated on a boy from eight. They're analyzing his body weight, and his muscles.

"What's it to you?" I snap, settling into the couch. That boy, Leo, sure is a cutie.

"Not much." She shrugs. I bite back a perfect comeback, because now they have Glory, the girl from district one up on the screen. She's gorgeous.

"She's my favorite." Poxi adds. My cheeks flame.

"Mine too." I murmur, suddenly angry. We can't have the same favorite! That totally screws everything up! That way, my favorite can't kill her favorite, and totally set her in her place. Oh well, at least this time, we will be able to watch the games without bickering.

At the thought, I giggle. Like that would ever happen. We can't sit together for two minutes without bickering, let alone day-long marathons of hunger games watching.

* * *

**ALANZE RYDER, DISTRICT 1 MALE TRIBUTE (_Justawriter167_)**

"I honestly have no idea what this could mean." My stylist pauses, obviously checking me out. I grin, and form a superhero pose, wobbling slightly. When my cup of wine threatens to tip to the side, I lunge and save it.

"I know. I'm just too hot. It's tragic."

"Not you, idiot." She snaps, continuing to ponder my outfit. I do agree it's hot though, I wear baggy black surf-trunks, and a plain black crew-neck top that fits loose. My feet are covered in tan leather sandals with many straps, so they almost can't fall off my feet when I shake them. I'll have a hard time getting them back on if I take them off. My token, a thin watch, sits on my wrist. It's blinking, disabled, because the gamemakers thought that knowing the time may give me an advantage. Whatever. Total losers.

"Oh! I get it!" My stylist finally realizes what my outfit is. "Stick out your foot." I obediently try, but it's difficult, because I don't have the greatest balance right now. She presses a button, and suddenly, the tan leather is enveloped in rubber, stretching up my ankles. Uncomprehendingly, I stare, until I realize they're flippers. Flippers! Are we swimming?

"Aquatic environment." My stylist murmurs, and then snaps to attention. "Want anything else before you go?"

"Another drink, please?" I giggle.

"Do you honestly think that's a good idea?" My stylist furrows her brow.

"I'm Alanze Ryder!" I shout. "It's always a good idea if I come up with it!"

* * *

**Bloodbath next chapter! Deaths have been pre-set, with 9 total. Nothing you can do to change your standing, sorry!**

**Hint: All but 1 of the people featured above survive the bloodbath. Can you guess who doesn't survive? One Point if you get it right! **

**Usual questions, answer in a review! **

**sp**


	13. eleven (bloodbath, part one)

**it's here... dun dun dun!**

**well, the first part, anyway**

**List of final kills and who did 'em at the bottom. Don't cheat, and read!**

* * *

**CRIMSON HALE, DISTRICT 9 MALE TRIBUTE (_Anthony Cullen_)**

"All tributes prepare for launching. All tributes prepare for launching." The voice of the creepy woman echoes through my head as I step onto the metal plate uncertainly. Instantly, glass surrounds me. I try and shake off the sudden onslaught of claustrophobia, instead taking deep breaths.

The woman repeats her command, but it sounds slightly muffled through the glass. A faint grinding mechanical click, and I'm rising, slowly at first, but then faster and faster. I try to calm my beating heart and lift my chin. I have to exude confidence if I'm going to make it in here. With a final click, I'm locked into place.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, let the seventy-sixth hunger games begin!" Cladius Templesmith's voice echoes until it looses itself somewhere in the arena. The arena! My eyes have been closed, I'm not even using the sixty seconds! My eyes struggle to find purchase, as this is something I've never seen in real life. I'm on a beach. A beach beach, with real sand and everything!

The sand radiates out for about two hundred yards in front of me, before the alarming glint of the giant golden cornucopia brings it to a halt. Immediately, I see myself at a disadvantage, since the tail is facing towards me. They place us completely randomly, and I guess I got the short end of the stick, again. I know that my sixty seconds is probably about half over, so I carefully step and turn around to face behind me. All I recognize at first are gental waves rippling the crystal clear ocean bottom. The ocean appears to be about three feet for twenty yards, and then drops off. Still, I can see the water remains clear at least a mile away. Slightly to the left, I make out a fuzzy outline of trees, and realize it's an island. It's so far away, though.

Turning again, I see another land-mass, this one much closer, and seemingly larger. This one has palm trees lining the entire shoreline, obscuring what may lie inside. Turning incrementally, I count one-two- eleven more islands, counting together for a total of thirteen. Thirteen islands.

I have to give the game maker's this, it's a beautiful arena. I see a range of different ways I assume tributes can leave the island, bridges, or there are two rowboats and two inflated boats (motorized?) spread equidistant around the beach. Two feet from me, sits a rowboat, a sure way to escape. I'm at least considering jumping in, but then my eyes are drawn forward to the cornucopia, the bounty that surely waits! If I could just get some food, and maybe some supplies, and then get away, I'd be golden!

I might actually have a chance in these games.

* * *

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE TRIBUTE (_orTherefore_)**

I just so happen to lock eyes with Alanze Ryder, right before it happens. I was actually trying to get a look at the island behind him, but then I saw him start to sway, so I looked at him. And that's when he gave a serene smile (to me? to panem?) and tipped off the disc. It's that quick. The landmines tear him to smitherines, even vaporizing his bodily fluids, so it's like he's there one second, and then he's not.

BOOM.

The thunderous sound only precedes the gong by a few seconds. Most of the tributes aren't ready, still staring open-mouthed at where Alanze used to stand. Not me. I'm shocked, sure, but I realize this is my chance to grab some supplies and get the hell out of there. Darting forward, I snag a bag of biscuits, a backpack, and a huge plastic container packed with dried beef. On a second thought, I snatch a knife as I'm running away. People are headed towards the cornucopia now, I see them, but I ignore them, picking a random bridge (who would actually be dumb enough to grab a boat), and running for my life. I'm not afraid of death by tribute, but it would be easy for the careers to cut this bridge down, it is rope after all, and it's a long swim to this island far in the distance. I don't even know if this is the right choice, or I'm headed to death, but honestly, there's nothing much else I can do.

These game's they're built on chance. So I keep my fast tread up, not even bothering to look behind me. I know it would only make me sick, at best.

* * *

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (_MiZaru667_)**

Who was that? I didn't see who that was! They're gone! Just like that.

And there's the gong. I'm flat out running now, not towards the arena, but far away. I don't know how to swim, but I decide this is an excellent time to learn. So I dive into the water, and take off towards the nearest island, with no supplies at all. That's alright. From a history of watching past hunger games, I know that once the careers clear out, there's still usually cast-aways, like dusty bread and bent knives. Things people like me can use to survive.

Actually, swimmings not that hard in this water. It's saltwater, which I somehow remember is easier to swim in. A lesson in school awhile ago, I guess.

Using easy strokes, I reach the island in about five minutes. Then as I pull myself, panting, onto the shore, I look back at the cornucopia.

I wish I hadn't. Because, now, I'm throwing up. It's awful really, mainly because this is a trace, which I've been instructed strongly by Katniss not to leave.

This island, it's too dangerous. It's too close to the cornucopia plateau. But I can't find the will to leave. So I find a clump of tightly woven bushes, that conveniently have a hollow part inside, and curl up, breathing heavily. I've made it. I've made it out of the bloodbath.

* * *

**BLOOM RONA, DISTRICT 11 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

When the death of the first tribute rings out throughout the arena, I'm stunned, even when the gong rings, announcing the deactivation of the land mines. Somehow in the back of my mind, I remember to take a cautious step forward, one, then two. Finally, I'm flat out running. I've been instructed to analyze the arena, and then decide what to get. Since this arena does not favor me or my district at all, I decide to try and get as much food as possible before escaping on a bridge.

My hands close on a loaf of bread, two, three, and then I'm going to leave, but I see a slingshot... right there! I'd judge it to be ten feet in front of me, so I lunge forward and snatch it. Now, I'm running away, but I've smacked into someone. Oh no.

"If you don't struggle, it can be easy." William, the boy from district two growls. I'm paralyzed with fright, because I know, right here, I'm going to die. So I make a mad dash for a boat, but he's caught up to me.

As he trips me, and I fall, I feel every spike of the machete in my back, twisting, probably puncturing my lung. I can't breathe now, I'm gasping like a seal. The pain is unbelievable, I only wish for death.

"Kill. Me." I growl, my teeth clenched.

"At your wish." William bows, and slits my neck. The last thing I see is his back, as he heads to the cornucopia looking for more victims.

* * *

**ARTEMIS OWENS, DISTRICT 2 FEMALE TRIBUTE**

I love the bloodbath. Let me just put that out there. It's the heaviest day of killing, so who wouldn't like it? I've already buried my knife in the head of that oblivious district 12 girl, but that's only one kill. I'm hungry for another.

Utilizing my light tread, I sneak up on the boy from eleven, Hawk, as he rifles through a couple backpacks, deciding what to take. In the half second it takes for him to look up and notice me, I've slit his neck. He falls, staining the pretty sand golden. It crosses my mind that this arena is so much more suited to district four. I'll be sure to kill them quickly, incase they get any ideas.

There! I see a tribute analyzing the axes, picking them up and setting them in a pack carefully along with other supplies. I consider just throwing my knife and getting it over with quickly, but panem wants a show, right? So I creep closer, and lift my knife to drive it into her back. Then, my foot steps on cellophane, making an unfortunate crackling sound. She notices.

I'm rushing now, I dive for her back, but she steps out of the way. It's that district seven brat, Piper. I'm rolling, trying to get back to my feet, when I see the axe barreling towards my chest. I duck, but I know instinctively it's the wrong choice. In the half second it takes to find my skull, I roll into a ball. I don't want this. This wasn't my intention. I was supposed to win, to bring riches back to my district. To survive.

BOOM.

* * *

**So that was part 1! Sorry if I'm not great at writing deaths, but anyway, here is the kill list for part one. Part two will be happening at around the same time, but this is the correct list of chronological deaths so far. Please do not freak out if your tribute died. I did what I had to do. **

**:K!LL L!ST:**

**1. Alanze Ryder (1M); land mines; vaporizing him, because he stepped off**

**2. Bloom Rona(11F); William Masyn (district 2), knife in upper back, slit neck**

**3. Giki Corton (12F); Artemis Owens (district 2), thrown knife in skull**

**4. Artemis Owens (2F); Piper Ravine (district 7), thrown axe in skull**

**Anyway, we have five more deaths to cover! Is it your tribute? Only time will tell? **

**This is kind-of gruesome, but what was your favorite death? **

**sp **


	14. twelve (bloodbath part two)

**for all of you that reviewed earlier/read chapter 11, five people died. **

**I forgot one, Hawk Ericcson in the drama of Artemis's death. **

**_four_**** deaths this chapter!**

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_mkraemz_)**

"Look behind you!" Someone calls (Dylan?) and I instinctively turn with my right hand curled into a fist. The tone suggested it was an armed attacker, but there's no one around my area of the cornucopia, except for the tiny girl from three. I assume he means for me to deal with her, and so I do. I get closer, I watch what she's doing for a second. She's rifling through a stack of wires, trying desperately to hurry. The wires are tangled, and suddenly I remember where I've seen them before. The 67th games, when the district three runt won by electricuting our alliance. This must not happen again. I raise my knife-hand, ready to strike, when I hear a hysterical shout from behind me.

"It's Artemis! She's dead!" Glory cries, and I spin around on my heels to survey the area. Glory's standing over a black-haired body, with an axe buried in between her eyebrows. It doesn't compute for a second, and I loose precious time.

"Who did it?" I shout. Glory simply points. I see a boat buzzing off into the distance, too far away to worry about. That's when I remember the girl. She's heard me shout, she's getting to her feet slowly. I can tell by the clang of tribute against cornucopia. Without turning around, I rotate my wrist and send my dagger straight into her neck. She's dead instantly, I know that. As I go over to analyze my kill, I marvel at the perfect throw. The knife is stuck through her neck, and is holding her body straight up against the metal.

Nice first kill, I think, and move on. There are at least five more tributes at hand, and I can't let any of them slip through my fingers.

* * *

**SUMMER KINSLEY, DISTRICT 5 FEMALE TRIBUTE ( _katnissandpeetaforever12_**)

I can sense the danger. Call it intuition, but I can feel the body coming closer to me. Verging onto my path. Without warning, I stop and run in the other direction. I just have to get to a bridge, then I'll be safe. I have to be. They won't follow me, not now, not here.

I'm wrong. Jared, the boy from thirteen, is too close behind me. It's those long legs. He's catching up to me, and I consider stopping and waiting for death. It's quite real, this immediate danger. I don't think I'll be getting through today.

When I stumble, I know it's over. I fall to my knees, and my assailant flips me on my back. He pauses, though, to brush the hair out of his eyes, and that's when it happens. A boy flies out from nowhere, rolling Jared with the sword. I don't understand the attack (is he trying to save me?), I know I should be getting out of here, but I'm so confused. I prop myself onto my elbows and watch.

The boy - I finally recognize him as Crimson Hale, from district 9- at first has the upper hand. He has a dagger, and Jared is unarmed, his sword laying at my feet. But it's over quickly. Before I can organize my thoughts, realize I should run away, throw the sword into the ocean at least, Jared ducks under a stab, picks up his sword and knocks Crimson off of his feet in one smooth motion. It's that quick. I hear the sickening crack of something (his neck?) breaking, and then, I'm expecting it, the sword driven deeply in between my ribs.

"At least he tried." I murmur. I am suddenly full of gratitude for this now-dead boy. Perhaps we would have been allies, if we could have survived.

I'm deeply shocked when Jared responds, his breath close on my face.

"He did. Not many do. That's why." And then he slides my eyelids shut, so I can't see the sky.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE TRIBUTE (_charliesunshine_)**

"Do you even know how to drive a boat?" Angie shouts, delirious with fear.

"I'll figure it out! Watch behind me." I stoically stack crate after crate in the white inflatable boat. Truthfully, I'm shocked that no one has taken the boat yet, but I guess all of the tributes have taken bridges. No wait, I see a white boat speeding off in the distance, catching height on every wave. I'm almost done with unloading, when I hear Angie shriek. I turn around immediately, my axe in my hands. Blindly I swing, afraid that the careers have come to finish me off. But as I hear the slice of flesh hitting the axe, I realize that I've done a terrible wrong.

The small girl falls to the ground in front of me, there's not even a chance for her. My axe has sliced through the district nine girl's middle, leaving her organs completely past saving. There's not even life in her chest. I think she's gone. Because of me.

"That's... that's..." Angie stutters.

"I know." I mumble, suddenly aware that I am, indeed, a monster. "We have to go Angela. I'm sorry."

I jump into the boat before the careers can notice us, and I turn on the motor. We motor off into the distance, as I try to ignore the shock on Angie's face and focus on not crying. At least, maybe, we can get sponsors due to this. But nothing can heal my psyche. I've killed another human being.

I am a monster, aren't I?

* * *

**1. Alanze Ryder (1M); land mines; vaporizing him, because he stepped off (BB)**

**2. Bloom Rona(11F); William Masyn (district 2), knife in upper back, slit neck (BB)**

**3. Giki Corton (12F); Artemis Owens (district 2), thrown knife in skull (BB)**

**4. Hawk Ericcson (11M); Artemis Owens (district 2), slit neck from behind (BB)**

**5. Artemis Owens (2F); Piper Ravine (district 7), thrown axe in skull (BB)**

**6. Ember-Maria Ashes (3F); Clare Brooks (district 1), dagger puncturing neck (BB)**

**7. Crimson Hale (9M); Jared Pierce (district 13), decapitation of the head, inflicted after attempted save of #8 (BB)**

**8. Summer Kinsley (5F); Jared Pierce (district 13), sword in ribs (BB)**

**9. Brinn Ivory-Hagen (9F); Alex Train (district 6), cleaved in half with axe (BB)**

* * *

So that's that! I hope I didn't upset anyone too badly, it was mainly the low-point earning authors who got one (or both) of their tributes kiled. A few of you had high point scores, but I needed another, so I just went ahead and took one.

To clarify, the two alliances that have the motorized boats (poor careers! No boats!), are the district 7/8 alliance, and the district 6 alliance. Definitely a plot twist.

Make sure to keep earning your points! Complain, rant, whatever, just as long as you leave me a review!

rd


	15. thirteen (apres bloodbath)

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE TRIBUTE (_solacing_)**

"Eugh. Who killed this one?" I hear Glory call and I turn, expecting her to be pointing at that district nine boy, the one I took the head off of. But no, she's looking at a girl pinned to the cornucopia by the neck.

"Mine." Clare looks up from a stack of knives. "She got on my nerves." Everyone starts chuckling at this, and I go back to being on watch.

"Well, help me get her down, would you? The hovercraft's not going to be able to get her all the way in here. She'll stink up the whole area!" I hear Clare chuckle again, and shove herself to her feet.

There! I see someone on an island maybe five hundred yards away, dragging their wet self onto the beach.

"Movement!" I call backwards, and everyone turns to look.

"Who is that?" Dylan asks, squinting his eyes. "Looks tiny."

"Probably district three or something," I call back. The kid looks pathetically tiny, even from this far away.

"Is there a bridge?" Someone asks, referring to the sporadically spread bridges that only connect some islands to the cornucopia. I squint.

"Nope. Looks like it's connected to the next over though."

"Well, we'll deal with him later. Can you mark where you saw him?" William stretches, his voice nearing a yawn. I nod immediately, because he is our new "leader," for the mean time. And everyone has to obey the leader, until we revolt. And, of course we have to kill off some others before that happens.

* * *

**CHAYENE KAYNE, DISTRICT 8 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_because of Killian Jones_)**

"Does this look like an okay camp?" Ashton asks the group, hand on the motor. We're behind the next-to-last island now, by far the smallest one, hidden from view of the cornucopia. We all nod, this seems like a nice, dense forest to hide us from view. He rides us up nearly onto the sand, and we get off neatly, grabbing our organized packs and lifting them onto our shoulders. All together, we have a great haul, since miraculously we were all able to escape the cornucopia bloodbath, yet snatch worthwhile stuff.

I catch Ashton lifting a knife, about to drive it into the boat.

"What are you _doing_?" Piper beats me to it.

"Getting rid of the evidence?"

"You can just un-inflate it." I murmur, searching the bottom for some kind of hatch. When I find a dial, and twist it, almost immediately, it flattens itself down in to an unimaginably small cube, about the size of my fist.

"Where did the motor go?" Piper marvels, and I shrug. Who knows, with all the crazy capitol stuff they have here. After I stuff it into my pack, we start walking. By a majority, all of us want to get to the other side of the mile-wide island well before noon, so we can see the careers clearly. The careers should be done with the fighting now. Almost immediately after the thought, canons start firing.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. I wait for another, but none's forthcoming. It's been a light bloodshed this year. Surprising. I turn and look at the other's for their reaction, and I notice Piper's shirt. It's splattered with blood, and I gasp softly. She's had a kill? Or was she just in the wrong place at the wrong time? I'm hoping for the latter, when she sees my face.

"Artemis." She says simply, and I exhale. It must have been Artemis killing someone near her, that's it.

"No," she says flatly. "I killed her."

* * *

**ANGELINA SPARROW, DISTRICT 6 FEMALE TRIBUTE (_charliesunshine_)**

"Shut up." I hiss to Alex. I can hear something. Something loud. It's not the careers already, right? We've gone such a distance, and they don't even have a boat like our's! Well, like our's was. Alex took a knife to it a while ago, desperate to erase the evidence.

"What?" Alex practically shouts, oblivious. I don't think he's heard what I've said. Or what I'm hearing. The low, rumbling, almost hissing sound that we're nearing closer to with every step. It pauses for a second, then continues even louder.

"STOP!" I'm shouting now, but he's continuing through the trees. I can hear the rattling louder and louder with every step I take, wondering if Alex is really this hard of hearing. Finally, he stops and looks back, but it's too late. I can see what's causing the rattling now. So can he.

Thousands of tiny red-orange snakes are writhing on the ground, in the trees, around the trees, even. They shake their tails, creating the sound I heard earlier. Thankfully, it seems like none of them have heard us yet, which is a miracle in itself.

But, then I hear it. Alex stepping backwards, his sandal landing on a dry branch. Snap!

In a millisecond, every single one of the snakes raises it's head in an unnervingly uniform way. We all, us two, and the thousands of them, look at each other curiously, before it happens. One single rattle from a snake, and they're on us. Slithering in an un-naturally fast way, I hardly have time to start running. Alex has no head start at all, they're on his heels, snapping. In a single motion, he jumps, shaking his feet as if to get the snakes free. They retreat, but only for a second. Alex is fast though, he's caught up to me in seconds.

"You okay?" He dares to waste a little bit of his breathe, snorting.

"I can make it to the beach, I think." I gasp. "Can they... swim?"

A shake of the head is all I get in return. We run in complete fear, dodging leafy branches and other nuances before reaching the fifteen yard stretch of beach in front of us. It's harder to run here, at least for me, and I see Alex gaining foot after foot on me. He hardly looks back, but I don't blame him. We're allies, but in this situation, you don't stop.

I'm heaving now, stumbling. If only I could get to the water, I'd be fine. But as my foot catches on a divet in the sand, I go crashing down. And now I can feel them, their slimy undersides as they fill me, and I realize what they're trying to do the minute my skin starts burning. I'm howling with pain and fear, driven nearly mad with the sound of my skin sizzling off. I'm shrieking helplessly, only thinking of Alex. Maybe he could save me. But, no, he's not coming. If I was capable of rational thought, I may conclude that there's nothing he can do. The acid pain has gone away, and that's how I know I'm a goner. I remember in biology class, last year maybe, they told us that acid has a funny way of disabling your nerves before you go unconscious.

Death is all I wish for now. As the darkness subsides over me, all I can do is breathe one more time before my chest goes still. I'm still alive though, my brain's still struggling for life, but with one final beat, my heart dies. And then, I drift away into the black. I never thought I'd be so grateful to die, but I am.

_Thank you, gamemakers_, is my final coherent thought. I think. But then I can't think anymore. I'm gone.

* * *

**So yup, short after-bloodbath chapter for you guys! One death though, so it doesn't seem too anti-climatic, as a capitol-er would say!**

**10. Angelina Sparrow; Rattle-snake mutations, acidic slime. **

**Sorry, charliesunshine! But you have one more tribute to hang onto!**

**So, what did you think? How many days should the games go on for? **


	16. fourteen (day one part four)

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (****_miZaru667_****)**

I lay frozen in my bush hideout for several hours, breathing gently and straining for clues to where everyone else is. At one point, after an hour or two, I hear screaming, well after the bloodbath canons went off. I wonder if this is a victim of the careers, but I doubt it. Most likely it's one of the gamemaker's toys. They always like to make sure there are roughly ten deaths on the first day, so they can use those for analyzation throughout the night and the next day. That usually gives the careers enough time to hunt out at least a few of us down.

There are sixteen of us left. I don't know who's dead yet, won't know for a while, but I'm guessing every single one of the careers made it through, they're so strong. There are eight of them, so that leaves roughly eight randoms, like me.

Unless some of the careers died. It's a distinct possibility, I guess, with the well-known rare alliance from districts seven & eight on the loose.

After another hour passes, I risk crawling out of my catacomb. None of the careers saw me, or they'd be here by now, no doubt. I risk scaling a tree, picking one that seems heavily foliage-d. I'm not too great at climbing trees, but I'm a fast learner, and I get to roughly ten feet below the top of the tree before I stop and look over the arena. I notice twelve other islands now, since I didn't exactly stop to check beforehand. They're all huge, miles and miles. This one that I'm on seems to be about one and a half, maybe more, miles wide, and suddenly I'm curious why they gave us so much space. There has to be a catch. I'm guessing some of these islands are riddled with mutts and poisonous supplies, probably. I have to be careful, if I'm to survive.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE (_mkraemz_)**

We reach the edge of the island long before the careers leave. On the chance of luck, my backpack contains two binoculars to spy on with. Per Piper's suggestion, we all scale trees, find comfortable forks to lay our sleeping-bags in, and watch. We're way too far to be spotted, unless they have some sort of telescope devices like ours. I remind the others of this, and we make sure the trunks are mainly obscuring us from view. With my awl, I whittle two ledges to rest my feet on, and settle down to watch. The district eight tributes are considerably lower in the trees than Piper and I, so we offered to watch while they take a break from walking. They happily obliged this request, as both of them, thanks to their district, haven't ever had much of a physical life.

I'm starting to question taking them on as allies, except for the reason that Chayene is decent with an axe. I haven't seen Leo do much, except look pretty for the audience. But, I'm sure his looks will be popular with the capitol, and so maybe we can get some sponsorship points from him.

"I think they're leaving." Piper calls in a hushed whisper to me, and I lift my binoculars. Sure enough, three of the remaining six careers are readying their packs, moving towards a bridge that leads to a island roughly five-hundred yards to our left. It's the longest bridge by far, but I guess they hope that other tributes took it thinking that it would put a distance between them and the cornucopia. It's a good strategy, sure, but suddenly I'm worried. It will put the careers at a great proximity to our camp. "God, is that the district four blondie? I thought I killed her for sure."

"What?" I murmur.

"Sent an axe at her." Piper bites back, and raises her binoculars again.

"Do we move?" I murmur, trying not to move lest I miss some of the action.

"I don't think so. It looks like the two brutes from two and thirteen, and the girl from one. None of the idiotic d-four tributes are coming, which means these probably can't swim. There's not a bridge connecting us, so I think we're safe."

Something in my gut tells me this is wrong, but I nod anyway.

* * *

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE (_katnissandpeetaforever12_)**

"So you don't want us to do anything?" I ask incredulously, analyzing the look on the three faces. "We just guard." Something about this seems too good to be true.

"No, we're just planning on taking out a few tributes on this one island, and then we'll come back and regroup." William, from district two, yawns. "I saw the kid from five running along this one, and Glory here thinks she saw Astrid, the one from district 10 going this way too."

"Kay." Serena is quick to agree. I don't blame her. Neither of us killed during the bloodbath, and we don't really want to try anytime soon.

"We'll be back." William insists, looking at Serena. "I guarantee it."

"Great." Serena says uncertainly, a little confused.

"Actually guys, I think I need to give district 4 a couple tips on guarding. I don't think she's done it before." William says, looking at me. I know he means Serena, and so I stay put. I'm a little ticked off, but honored, since he thinks I know how to guard.

"Let's go around back?" He says briskly, picking up a spear from the pile, and walking off without another answer. Maybe I should be worried about Serena's safety, but I doubt William would be that brash to kill her off before we got some of the other, more dangerous one's out of the way.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

"What is he doing?" Poxi whispers. "He's not killing her, right?! He can't kill her! He's supposed to end up with her."

"Shut up!" Loyola, my best friend whispers back. "She's going to end up with Dylan! I told you that."

It's been all the talk in the capitol for days, what would happen with this love triangle. I don't know if William realizes it, but the minute he saved her from that axe district seven threw, we can't talk about anything else. Serena didn't even notice, which makes it more upsetting. Her back was turned, right as he caught the axe and buried it in the sand.

"Dylan is an idiot." I add. "Now shut up! They're almost to the back of the cornucopia!"

When Serena and William finally reach the back of the cornucopia, we all hold our breath. They begin talking, but no one pays attention, just to the words. And then it happens.

"Oh."

"My."

"Gawd." I finish the phrase, gasping. He just kissed her!

"I told you she was going to end up with him!" Poxi laughs at Loyola.

"Noooooo!"

"Yesssss." For once, I agree with my sister. William is a _much _better match for Serena.

* * *

**A little shocker, huh? Don't worry, this won't be all romance, but this love triangle will spice things up a bit. :**

**Reviews are great, and help your tribute! **

**sp**


	17. fifteen (day one part five)

**still day one...**

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (Lighty 7)**

Honestly, I'm shocked. When he lets go of me, I step back, uncertain. I hardly know William, he's cute, sure, but this is the hunger games. Romances don't last for long in here until one dies off. I mean, we all saw what happened to Katniss & Peeta.

"I think I have to go." He murmurs, hearing the others get restless. "We can talk when I get back."

"What about the guarding lessons?" I ask, stepping forward.

"I think you're set." I hear him walk around the cornucopia slowly, rejoin the group. Somebody asks him about me, and he easily lies.

"I was wrong, she knows a lot. Probably more than I could teach her easily."

Someone responds (Glory?), "Well come on then, let's go. I want to get another kill before dawn."

"Yeah, let's go." Jared says, and I hear the padding of feet, and then the give of the wood as all three of them step on. I take my time circling the cornucopia, and by the time I reach Dylan and Clare they're far away, well out of earshot.

_They'll be back. He'll be back_, I tell myself, and hope desperately that it will be true.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (MTNGWN)**

"Are you sure?" Leo asks, watching with wide eyes as the careers meet halfway on the bridge. "They could still spot us. They're trained for this."

"Fine." I sigh. "Let's move back a couple of trees." Honestly, I'm mad because I've spent time disguising my hideout well with vines, when the district 8 tributes have only been gorging themselves on our food. But I guess if they find one of us, they could find all of us, so I jump down, and this time pick a single tree with thick foliage to nest in. We all climb, finding a fork for Chayene first, then Leo, then Ashton, and I finally find a great narrow branch high on the tree for me. The only bad thing about this tree is that I've lost my vantage point. If I go above the general tree line to observe them, it's a sure-shot for them to notice me. There's not a bridge, sure, but I'm not completely sold about them not being able to swim. The ocean, it's only ten feet here. Not too scary to swim in.

In the mid-afternoon haze, I finally give into the gnawing in my stomach and open my pack. Truthfully, I managed to get lots and lots of food, by pure chance of backpack. I push past the dried fruit, meat and various breads, and finally come up with a dry pack of withered noodles. I stare at them in confusion, before realizing that they must be dried as well, and I'm meant to add water to it. I tear open the package and pour about a cup into the bag, which turns the noodles into a warm hash. I look around in my pack for a spoon, but find none, so I fashion a makeshift one with a measuring cup sitting in a bag of salt.

It's a good meal. Not as good as something my mother would have made for me, but it's good for the hunger games.

Suddenly, I'm feeling bad for the one's who couldn't get packs. I saw that little district 12 boy swimming away without a thing, and I'm positive others must have fared the same. I really hope I don't have to kill him. I really do.

* * *

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (miZaru667)**

Despite myself, I curse when I see only half of the careers leaving. I'm going to need food, I know that much. This is unfamiliar terrain. I went to the edible plants station in the training center, but I've only managed to find one of the nuts he told me. Just a few minutes ago I found a large amount clustered on a tree, but I have no way to carry them. So I alternate between peeling nuts and watching the careers, planning a way to siege them at nightfall. If they could just, I don't know, leave a pack with some useless (to them) items, I could eat.

But as nightfall grows, I'm even more restless. I'm tapping my foot unconsciously when I notice the careers have built a large bonfire that will easily last them through the night and the next day. There's no way I can sneak up now.

So I give up on the siege, fashion a sling out of palm leaves and grab several handfulls of the nuts. They're good. Addictive, almost.

It takes me a few hours to find my copse again, and by the time I do, I'm exhausted. It's nearing dusk, and I spend the hour before nightfall watching ants climb on my hand. The ants are okay. I like the ants.

When the trumpets blare, I shoot to my feet, bumping my head. But I eventually find my way out of the foliage, and stand on my tippy toes to see the death toll.

First to be shown is Alanze Ryder. No surprise there. Everyone saw him tip drunkenly off of his platform.

The second, though, is a complete and utter shocker. I stare up in complete confusion, sure they've made a mistake, but there's a second career killed on the first day. Wow. That has to be some kind of record.

The girl from district 3 is shown next, followed by the girl from district five and then by the girl from six. Both from nine. Both from ten. My district partner.

Then the trumpets are back, and the sky blacks out. I run through the remaining tributes. One each from 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 & 12. Both from four. Both from seven. Both from eight. Both from ten. Both from thirteen.

It's certainly going to be an interesting fight, I think sleepily, and then crawl back into my camp. I'm asleep almost instantly, and the last thing I remember is a friendly ant snaking it's way up my finger. At least I have company.

* * *

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE TRIBUTE (solacing)**

"Are you sure that they came this way?" I sigh, as I finally step off the bridge and onto a dirt beach. This is a weird island. It's not sandy, like practically every other ones. Vines creep up the side of trees as we walk cautiously by them, searching for a boot print or any trace, really.

It's tiring work, walking back and forth on the island. I also keep my spear lifted, in case of tributes, and the extra weight feels straining on my shoulder.

It's several hours before I hear Glory drop to her knees.

"Found a print." She murmurs, and we crouch around it. It's a sandal print, half swept away, but we find another ten feet away. And then they become regular, sneaking around trees. By the size of the print, I'm guessing it's the girl leaving them.

And then finally, the footprints lead to a tree. And stop.

And then I'm looking straight up, when I see a ball curled up maybe twenty or so feet off the ground. I wave the others over.

"Found you."

* * *

**So, per everyone's request, not every chapter will have a death in it. However, next chapter, a good two or three will be wiped out, so prepare yourself for that. Who do you think is going to die? **

**sp**


	18. sixteen (day two part one)

**LEO MAVERICK, DISTRICT 8 MALE TRIBUTE (MTNGWN)**

I don't know if the scream wakes me up or not. I was probably half-asleep, I'm never a good sleeper, but the minute I hear the pained shriek, I'm sitting up in my copse and struggling desperately to see through the trees.

"Did you _hear _that?" I hiss downward, to Chayene. She sits up, a little delirious, and stares at me.

"The scream?" She stage-whispers. "Yeah. It's too far away though."

"Shut up!" Ashton hisses down at both of us, and I look beyond him at Piper. She's slowly scaling the tree, and then she stops, analyzing the arena in the cold moonlight. When she comes back down she shrugs, and whispers down at us.

"Sounded pretty far away. I bet the hunting party couldn't find anyone on that island and started over, or maybe someone else is being attacked by mutts or something." At her words, all of us relax. She saw, she knows what's okay. She knows what she's talking about.

She does.

Boom.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

It's four AM when my beeper goes off. I slowly drift in to the world of wakefulness, slowly wondering what woke me. When I see the black sphere rolling around excitedly, I sit up immediately and try not to run too fast into the living room.

Unfortunately, my whole family's already there, eyes glued to the screen. There's been another death, I realize excitedly. I hope it's not one of the careers.

The trumpets blare, followed by a close-up of Caesar Flickerman and all of his guest commentators sitting at a desk, idly sharing coffee and cigarettes.

"Welcome, Panem!" Caesar calls. "Or at least the third of you that responded to your beepers, or just happened to be sleeping in front of the TV." Cue laughter.

A thundering sound of a canon slits through the laughter. Before discussing it, Caesar lets us watch the beginning in full. As I suspected, it's a career alliance hunt, searching through an island before they find a series of sandal-prints. My breath catches, I've forgotten where everyone is, and I hope this isn't someone I actually like.

"Found you." Jared, the boy from thirteen murmurs, which shocks the bundle into almost falling off the tree. That's when she lifts her head and we can see a flashing name under her bundled form. Astrid Callow, from district 10. Eh, she's okay.

They play the rest in little edited parts, I guess the whole stand-off took awhile. Finally Glory tells her to come on down, and Astrid spits in her face. I like that. She has spirit, I guess.

"Honestly?" Glory's mad now. "If you stay up there, it's only going to be a worse death." Astrid hasn't spoken once at this point, but she shakes her head and responds in the negative. This makes them even more mad.

So, when William opens his pack and grabs an axe, I think he's going to throw it. But no, he's cutting down the tree with slow, concise hacks. Panic blooms on Astrid's face. She's forty feet up. There are no trees to jump too, and if she came down the tree, she was going to die anyway. She's in a terrible stalemate, I realize. Unless she can come up with a tracker jacker nest like Katniss Everdeen did in the 74th games, she's a goner.

Two minutes later, her tree begins to tip. And she screams. It's a short shriek, before her body hits the ground and it's over. She's dead, beyond doubt, and the cannon fires just as I'm thinking it.

One last sentence is heard from Jared. "Well, that was climatic. They'll like that." Is he talking about us?

* * *

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE TRIBUTE (orTherfore)**

Honestly, I'd like to say I was wide awake when the cannon went off. But no, I'm dead asleep, curled up in my sleeping bag like a cocoon, when it happens. I'm sitting up, and I immediately judge the cannon to be within a couple hundred yards of me. Most likely, there was someone else on the island, and they brought the careers in on them. I don't even spend time thinking about who it could be, instead jumping out of my tree and hightailing it to the beach. I scoped out the bridges last night, and I remember seeing one... right... here...

The bridge is gone. I'm one hundred percent positive this is where the bridge was. Where the hell did it go? I'm running along the beach now, trying hard to find something before dawn is up. Just in front of me, I see a bridge, one that I'm absolutely positive wasn't there before, but I'm not in the position to question the gamemakers right now, so I take it. It's a short bridge, but even I can't run across it fast enough. When I'm 75% done, I hear a shout from behind me, and I know the careers must have spotted me. Oh well. I can't do anything about that right now. All I'm really concerned about is staying out of range of spears. So I high-tail it into the forest, noting unhappily that this seems like a small island. I'll just have to disappear, I decide.

This will be my test. If I can make it through today, I might just let myself believe I have a chance.

* * *

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE (katnissandpeetaforever12)**

We wake up to a single canon. I hardly stir, realizing it must be our allies. They probably found a single tribute. Narrowing down the field, good. I don't necessarily want to have to kill many, and the more the group kills, the easier it'll be for me to get back home.

I lay awake, thinking, long after the others have gone back to sleep. There are a pile of knives right beside me. I could easily slit Clare's neck and go, but what about Serena? Taking her with me would put her in danger, the same way not taking her would. The others seem to like her though, even if she isn't that skilled.

As a result of my thinking session, I decide to stay. At least for now. Who knows what today will bring? Besides, I'm almost positive that district 7/district 8 alliance is strong, and who am I to try and take them alone. They'd easily wipe my trident throwing off the maps, with what, all of their axe throwing skills? They have a boat, even. If only we had a boat.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (MGNTWN) **

When I hear the feet a couple hundred yards away, I know we're in trouble. I don't know how they got here, maybe there was another boat in the cornucopia, but they are here. All I can hope for is for them to not see Chayene thirty or forty feet up. But the girl doesn't have great hearing, I know that. And right now, as I resist cursing, she's opening up a packet of peanuts. Hungry fool.

Warning her would only put myself more in danger, so I lean down five feet and poke Ashton awake. I point to the direction I hear the feet, and mime packing up my bag. This tree is pretty wide, I'd say maybe five feet. If we inch our way down the other side, we could make it free.

It's early in the morning, maybe four and five. It's not light yet, but who knows what the Careers possess from the cornucopia.

"Piper." I look down at Ashton in response. He points down to half-asleep Leo and obviously-deaf Chayene. I throw my hands up, annoyed that he's even asking. I might just leave by myself.

"What are we going to do?" He's on my branch now. His pack is on his shoulders, like me.

"Jump?" I murmur.

"To the _ground_?"

"No, you idiot. To another tree." I murmur again, analyzing the trees around us. None of them are close enough. I curse softly, realizing we're going to have to go lower.

Ashton leans his head to the left. "I don't hear the feet anymore."

"Neither do I." I hiss. "I guess we should get the others and go. We need to figure out how to get off of this island. It's way too small."

"They had to get here someway, right?" He mutters, but I'm hardly listening. We need to get our of here. Fast.

* * *

**So I guess that was only one death... whoops! There will probably be two next chapter. Or maybe just one. Confusing? Sorry. **

**10. Angelina Sparrow; snake mutations, acidic slime (day 1: ~2:00 PM)**

**11. Astrid Callow; indirectly by William Masyn, fall from a tipping tree (day 2: ~3:40 AM)**

**Did you like the chapter?**

**sp**


	19. seventeen (day two part two)

**SEAN DMITRI, DISTRICT 10 MALE (****_Zephyrme_****)**

Honestly, I'm so surprised the careers haven't noticed me. I was two or three islands away, dead asleep on the beach, when the canon goes off. I stumble to my feet, awfully confused, and swear under my breath when I realize where I am. I'm supposed to be up in a tree! But no, I fell asleep in the sand. How smart am I? Not very, apparently.

Immediately, my instinct is to jump to my feet and get the hell out of there. But no, I stay, because one of them, a girl, is analyzing the islands around the one she's on, trying to discover any signs of tributes, I guess. I slowly creep backwards on the sand, grateful I chose this island.

The sand is black, which is awfully strange, but it provides great camouflage for the top half of my uniform. My shorts, not too much.

I hardly risk breathing, but I realize that's futile. She's several hundred - if not thousand - feet away from me, and a breath will not alert her. Only her sight will.

To my dread, she reaches in her pack and pulls out a telescope. Now I really can't move.

But everything I do in caution proves to mean nothing. She's found me. I can tell by the way she turns and walks away. She's got me. Now, all I have to do is wait.

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE TRIBUTE (mkraemz)**

This is boring as hell. First of all, I can't even see what's going on, they took both pairs of the binoculars, and second: I'm stuck with nothing to do. I heard the canon, and all I have to do is outline the people I still know are alive. One of them is obviously dead. I find a handy stick and start drawing in the sand.

Us. (Glory, William, Dylan, Serena, Clare & Jared). The 7/8 alliance (_god, I hope one of them died_): I don't even know their names. I think the really annoying one's Piper. That kid from three. That kid from five. The boy from six, whose partner died. Both from ten.

I struggle with the last one, until I remember it's district twelve, the small boy.

My list is complete. Only problem is: I don't know who died. The day is also young. Who knows what will happen?

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (Zephyrme)**

I do believe I'm fairing quite well. I'm on a nice island, a bit of a boring one, sure, but one that would most likely escape notice by the careers. With small trees, sparse greenery and palm trees, it's not a good place to hide. But who's hiding? Not me.

Well, I guess I am, sort of. I've woven a net of vines to drape over my small (12 square feet) tent I picked up at the cornucopia. People really don't notice me. I just moseyed up to the cornucopia, snatched this, food & a bag of "useless" metal, and jumped into the ocean. It probably wasn't the best move, but, whatever. I still have everything but the bread in the bag, since it was not shrink-wrapped enough. I could do so much better than those game makers.

I spent most of the night watching the ocean behind me, easily finding the chink in the force field thousands of feet away. I have very nice eyesight.

Here's a story about how I got such great glasses. So, in school, after one of our own tributes won the games, the school decided to use the funds to check up on our sight, and spring for glasses if we needed them. I decided to be clever, and lie about all the letters on the chart, even the 'E' at the bottom! They prescribed me the highest power they could, and even if I got teased, now I had great vision.

Just as long as I keep my glasses, I have a great advantage in this games. I think.

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE (tinkerbell980)**

After I spot the random tribute hanging out on the beach, I turn around and start looking for my companions. It's still somewhat dark & early, but being alone once daylight strikes will be bad. This isn't a big island though, I'm sure Jared & William'll find the little goth kid and we can be on our way.

As I'm running through the bush, I keep a knife raised in defense, just in case. I try and follow some of the footsteps, even though they seem awfully too small for the boys. Oddly, they're's a golden parachute tossed to the side of the steps, and I assume we finally got a gift. Hurray to either of them, I guess.

But as soon as I break through the trees, I know I'm in serious trouble. I'm alone. And before me, stands the district seven & eight alliance. Their backs are turned, for now at least, it looks like they're trying to blow up a boat. So they got one of the boats. I figured they did. I wonder who else?

Slowly, ever so slowly, I turn and run. I need to find backup before I take them on.

* * *

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (MiZaru667)**

When I wake, I'm in complete and utter agony. So much that I can't resist letting out a small shriek, but it's not enough to be heard, I hope. I look down at my hands. They're red and covered completely with blisters. I can't put two and two together until I see the ants. They're all over me.

I honestly think I might be dying. These stings, they're horrible. I have to get away from these mutts, but I can't stand. My feet. My legs.

I'm about to give up when I hear the signature whistle of a parachute. Surely it's not for me. Maybe it's for someone around here to finish me off. Please, yes, finish me off. I shut my eyes, but cautiously open them when I feel the parachute settle into the crook of my arm. It's for me.

I find a small pack inside of the basket, shocked to being speechless. Who would actually sponsor me? Are they crazy? But, I'll take it.

Within the pack, are two things among others that may prove to be my salvation. There's a small knife. And then, they're's a tube of paste. I know it's medicine, it has to be. And it is.

With two fingers, I smooth the mixture all over my body. It brings instant relief. I sigh happily.

Before I rest again (I'm tired, I guess I didn't sleep well), I take to a tree. I've been saved. Hopefully, this has given me new life. I will survive. At least try too. If Katniss could survive, why can't I?

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (MTNGWN)**

When the parachute comes, I'm shocked. We're walking, running really, to the shore, hopefully to set up our boat, when it flies down in front of me. A bow and arrow! A full dozen arrows, crafted of this amazing wood, sturdy, but not too conspicuous. I don't dwell on this for too long, and instead, I keep running. We need to get off of this island. I'm almost positive the careers are here too, and although I might be able to save myself and maybe Ashton, I can't help the mostly defenseless district eight tributes if we are faced with three deadly careers. I've realized now how they got here.

The bridges move. Which actually sucks for us. Here we get to this no-access island, and the next morning it's open to everyone who wants to come? I mean, I bet the careers probably chased the district five guy over here, who I saw through the branches. We exchanged a nod, and he kept running. It's better for us, honestly, if he keeps running. Gives us a distraction, so we can escape.

I assign Leo to blow up the boat on one side, and Ashton on the other. I arm Chayene with an axe, and we stand with our backs to each other. At one point, I think I hear a rustle in the forest, but when I look, nothing's there.

We will get off of this alive, all of us, I'm convinced. Just a few more breaths, and we're golden.

But nothing ever happens like that, does it?

The next thing I know, they've broken through the trees. All three of them, with that bitchy Glory girl right in the center. I look for blood on their clothes, but I find none, so the boy must have escaped. They'll love this in the capitol, I'm sure. A great confrontation on the first day.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT **

"I can hardly breathe!" I murmur to my sister. It's true! Here are some of the strongest tributes going head to head! Who will win? We don't know yet, but I'm sure it will be exciting.

For a minute, nothing happens. Then Glory speaks.

"Do you want to give us your boat?"

"No." Piper responds, carelessly shoving a quill of arrows over her shoulder. This gets them furious. Why does she have arrows? The bow quickly follows, and they pale.

"Well then, we're going to have to take it from you." Jared's velvety voice precedes his sword by only a few seconds. It nicks Ashton in the leg, not to the bone, but enough to start the blood flowing. Still, it's calm. Then, Glory's knife sinks its way into the boat.

That's when Piper starts going into action. She fires arrow after arrow, but Glory's good at dodging them. Only one catches her, barely, in the shin. She's sending knives too, though, one catches Piper above the ear, another punctures her foot. Nothing serious, but it gets her off her game.

William, the boy from district two, is moving in to finish her off when Chayene finally enters her body and chucks an axe at him. I turn away, too frightened to see what happens. It hits, my sister tells me, right in the stomach.

I turn back to see what the other two will do. Glory pulls two more knives out of her pack, and sends one of them hurtling towards Leo. He can't step out of the way in time. It lands right in the middle of his forehead.

"Instant death", Caesar cries from his desk, but we can't see a visual because the screen's entirely filled with the fight.

I look to see where the second knife will go, but it doesn't fly. Piper's gone. So is Chayene. Ashton is awkwardly limping after them, but Glory stops Jared when he tries to go in his direction.

"Let 'em go. Look, they left most of their supplies." Glory soothes, but I can see she's gulping. In less than five minutes, two tributes are dead. And there's sure to be retaliation.

"That could have been me." Jared chokes out, as Williams's cannon finally fires.

"It could have been any of us." Glory responds softly. "We just have to deal with it."

* * *

**yeah, I know, I suck at writing death scenes, sorry! this is a long chapter, so sorry for that too.**

**10. Angelina Sparrow (d6, F); snake mutations, acidic slime (day 1: ~2:00 PM)**

**11. Astrid Callow (d10, F); indirectly by William Masyn, fall from a tipping tree (day 2: ~3:40 AM)**

**12. Leo Maverick (d8, M); Glory Spindel (d1), knife in forehead (day 2: ~7:00 AM)**

**13. William Masyn (d2, M); Chayene Kanye (d8), axe in stomach (day 2: ~7:00 AM)**

**PLEASE READ: if your tribute died, please note it is not because I didn't like them. I used a random generator to pick the first five (after the bloodbath, not including Angelina) to die, and the final five. So everything's mostly set in stone, but I'm so sorry if it chose you! **

**sp**


	20. eighteen (day two part three)

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE TRIBUTE** **(mkraemz)**

I'm literally about to go out of my mind with craziness. Honestly.

"Are you guys bored?" I finally ask, tiring quickly of my drawings in the sand. I've outlined every last remaining tributes, even my alliance, drawing district numbers, known strengths and weaknesses and when I can remember: training scores. There's thirteen of us left, according to those last three canons, and it took me a while, even down by the shoreline, where the sand is wet and one of my arrows can easily mark it. Thirteen are dead. In two days.

If you asked me, I'm hoping at least two of the district 7/8 alliance. Although it would be nice if they took care of a few loose ends, like that district 6 boy, (Alex?), or the twelve kid. I don't know how the latter even managed to survive.

In response to my question, Serena looks up from her intricate net that she's tying and shrugs.

"Sort-of." Dylan says in a good-natured tone. "Want me to teach you how to fish? We could use some good food."

"Yeah, let's teach her!" Serena happily claps her hands. I can't help but smile. What the hell? It's more fun than obsessively mapping out each tribute. And besides, the tides are rising with every scratch I make. My work will be erased within the hour anyway.

"Well." I pause. "We could use some fresh fish to fry or something. We could have a nice dinner tonight."

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 FEMALE TRIBUTE (charliesunshine)**

I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm walking aimlessly around this trap of an island. I haven't ever felt like this before, but I guess when you see your only ally die as her skin burns off, it changes you.

I was foolish as I was escaping, floundering through the shallow water in broad daylight. I'm surprised the careers haven't come for me. I wonder if they know how crazy I've become, how I've become determined to win these games. I will avenge Angie, even if they didn't kill her. I must win the games, I must find a way to help Angelina's family, even though I didn't even know her before the games. I will make her unforgettable.

I hate the game makers. I hate them all. My rage fluctuates for what must be the twentieth time, and I strike out at a tree. The knobby surface opens up a ridge of blood across my knuckles, and I stare at the red, entranced. Several minutes pass before I realize I should probably cover it up. I can't win if I get infected. No one will sponsor me, I bet, if I got sick. No one expects a little tribute from district 6 to win.

Well, guess what? I'm going to prove them wrong. Every last one of them.

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (Zephyrme)**

The canons are quite a surprise to me. I've mapped out these games, I have. I know that on average a tribute dies every approximately 1.2 days after the bloodbath. These three deaths have put us quite ahead of schedule. I wonder who that was? Two alliances meeting head to head? Or just the careers having a good day picking off the tributes? All concerns aside, I feel like this is good for me.

I've decided to make the risky decision to move my intricate camp to the other side of the island. Truthfully, this side is awfully boring, and I can't see what's going on. I might get a better idea of who's who if I move. So, I wrap up the little tent, which is awfully crafty, and pick up my bag of metal and food.

Trudging slowly under my load, I manage to reach the other side of the island by about eleven or noon, according to the sun. Here, I find a nice spot of sand, dig my tent hole again, and slide it in until about only six inches of it shows. I've slit the top open my using a piece of my scrap metal, and I can slide easily in, without much movement. The vines of surrounding trees make a nice braided pattern that resembles patches of grass I've seen all around. And here, set about thirty yards away from the beach, I have great sight through these holes I poked through the tent fabric, and I can easily observe the other tributes. This is a great camp!

* * *

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (MiZaru667) **

With all of my ant bites treated, and my stomach full of this delicious cold grain that Katniss sent me, I'm feeling much better. Ecstatic, really. I haven't seen anybody yet, and it's been a full 24 hours, so I'm guessing I've got this all to myself. Fine by me. I take up a patrol of sorts, because I have nothing better to do. My pack is stuffed full of those great nuts, and I managed to wrestle one of these small turkey things to the ground and stab it with my knife. I think I remember it from Katniss's games, it's called a groosling. It will make a great meal at dusk, when Katniss told me it's okay to light fires.

So I take up this little patrol, mindlessly circling the island in smaller, then bigger islands. I'm careful to stay just in the trees, but still, I can see things. I saw a bit of movement, too big for an animal, two or three islands over, probably a fellow tribute. I've seen the careers dive into the ocean after the rainbow of different fish that habit the sandy floors, leaving a bounty behind if anyone was brave enough to steal it. If I was as desperate as I was before, maybe I would try. But I'm set, for now.

Maybe I'll try later.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE (mkraemz)**

"Can we _stop_?" I finally whine. We've crossed at least two bridges. We can rest.

Piper glances down at my leg, as if she's forgotten, and nods silently. I know she'd like to take to a tree, but for me, she finds a copse of greenery where we could rest for an hour or two. Maybe three. I'm panting now, and the pain in my leg is aggravated by the heat. What I really need right now is something to cover my wounds. But we left a couple of our packs on the beach, and Chayene's was the one that had the medicine in it. I glare at her now. It wouldn't have mattered too much if I had not taken mine, it was only food, and we can hunt. At least, Piper has a little bit of everything, and she roots through it now, glancing at small pill bottles and finally rattling out a couple of low-grade anti-infection pills. I gratefully accept with a drink of cool water.

This is the great thing about these islands. You'd expect the water to be salty, and by the cornucopia it's relatively so, but it gets less salty as you get further, turning from saltwater to freshwater. So, unlimited water, at least for now.

My thoughts are still rambling as I catch a glint of silver work it's way down to just in front of us. Piper jumps up to get it, and I wonder if it's something else for her. Is our mentor that biast? Does he really like her that much more?

No. It's for me. When I see it, I smile. It's a great thick bandage, perfect for keeping out infections. Turns out my mentor hasn't forgotten about me after all.

* * *

**Here's another no-death chapter! I thought it would be better to spread out the deaths a bit more, as I knocked out half in less than two days... whoops!**

**sp**


	21. nineteen (day two part four)

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (MTNGWN)**

Ashton is knocked out cold now, thanks to Chayene. Apparently when I was off hunting, he started moaning about how much pain he was in and she 'just couldn't stand his suffering', and she found some of that ridiculously sweet sleep syrup and doused his tongue in it. I'm not sure if that was a great idea, but I can't bear to yell at her right now. Her hands are shaking terribly, and I finally realize why. That boy was her first.

My first (and only, so far), of course, had been Artemis, but she was a bitch. William certainly wasn't sweet, I saw him kill just as easily as the others, but he... just...

"Hey, cheer up." I gulp down my thoughts, and choke out the sentence. "We got rid of district two completely."

"Yeah." She murmurs, and I realize I might not be getting another response out of her, not yet at least. "Did you get food?"

I nod, and open up my pack. Out spills a couple of groosling, a good eating bird anywhere. "We might as well start a fire."

"Really?" Chayene bites her nails.

"They know we're here. They lost one of their allies too. Would you want another confrontation?"

"Probably not." Chayene's eyes fall at the mention of the fallen ally. "Um, yeah. I mean, go ahead.

* * *

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE TRIBUTE (solacing)**

"Finally." Glory says softly. We've been traveling for a while, maybe three or four, jumping from island to island until we found one that had a connecting bridge back to the cornucopia flat. Both of us are feeling the effects of the death, both oddly vigilant.

The only good thing about that confrontation was that we took out one of their own as well, and also, on our backs, we carry at least half of their supplies. Of course, the death of William, one of our strongest allies, leaves that scale tipped on the side of bad feelings.

I knew he was going to have to die eventually if I was able to come home, but still. Still. We didn't expect him to go home so soon, and I'm sure it sent whatever sponsors he had reeling. He must have had some sponsors, I'm sure of it, but what happens to the money now? I hope they direct it towards someone else in our pack, and not -say- the girl who actually killed him. They do that some times. You know, the strong survive and all that.

Everyone'll want to raid the alliance's camp tonight, but truth be told I don't even know if I'm ready. I just want to sleep, honestly.

* * *

**JAKKOB CORNER, DISTRICT 12 MALE TRIBUTE (MiZaru67)**

I'm loving this patrolling thing. I've been doing it for hours on end. First of all, it's zero work, and second of all, well, I get to do whatever I want. Eventually I get so cocky that I stand on the middle of the beach facing the two islands behind me, and start singing. It's not a song, really, just something I made up.

"I'm on my very own is-a-land! It's my very own! Don't think about co-oming, because it's my very own! Oh! I'm patrolling my very own is-a-land! It's my very own! Don't think about co-oming, because it's my very own."

I'm sure the capitol is loving this, don't you think?

Well, it's sad that none of my fellow tributes can hear me, because they're obviously deaf or not interested in challenging me. Yeah, it's probably the latter.

After belting out a few more spontaneous verses, I bow, and head back into the trees. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I realize that might not have been the smartest idea, but who cares? I've got these great unlimited nuts as a food source, and they taste great. I'm set!

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL RESIDENT**

"Make it stoppp." I whine at my father, covering my ears. "Why do they have to playyyy this? It sounds absolutely horrible-ized!"

"Horrible-sounding, sweetie." My english professor of a mom barks at me. "Don't worry, this boy will be gone soon anyway. He's obviously gone insane."

"From what?" My sister wonders.

"Probably those nuts he's been hoarding, or that poison from the ant bites."

Finally, the song stops, and I release the hands around my head. Hmmph. Maybe he did go unnoticed. Miraculous.

I haul myself into the kitchen to get a refill of my fizzy drink, by passing pictures of my parents with every single victor in the hallway. There's Katniss Everdeen, unsmiling, holding up her pin. There's Volvo Cinageen, the victor from the seventieth games. All of these pictures are awfully boring, but I pause, trying to waste time. Everyone knows that good events never happen within 15 minutes of each other. When I judge it to be about ten minutes after I left, I hear my sister cry my name.

"Loxi, get in here!" Poxi screams in glee. "Someone's found him!"

I abandon my drink on the floor, where it will undoubtedly be picked up and fixed later, and high-tail it back to the television. It's true. That attractive brute of a boy from six has obviously heard him, and is swimming like one of those prehistoric animals towards the island. A hippo! That's what those are called.

The positions of the tributes are shown on a map for a brief moment, a different color highlighting each district, and a star for girls and a circle for boys. There's a pink star seemingly in the middle of the ocean, which probably means Glory (district 1 female) is crossing a bridge. I zoom down the key until I find Alex's color, which is teal, and then I see Jakkob's color is gray. Sure enough, the blinking (which means alive) light blue circle is heading steadily towards the flashing gray dot, which has come to a standstill. I bet the idiot's making his camp. At four in the evening? So not smart.

We only have to wait five minutes for Alex to make it to shore. I see his weapon now, it's an axe. Deadly. The weapon alone has already killed, what, two careers already?

He swings it softly in his hands, his lips moving slowly. He makes it to Jakkobs camp easily. And he goes for it.

Alex strikes like a tiger, powerful and controlled. You can tell Jakkob isn't ready for it, because the axe sinks through his left thigh with ease. I don't hear a crack though, so it's probably not broken. The gamemakers always amplify the cracks if there are ones.

I expect district 12 to die quietly now, but as luck strikes him, he was harvesting nuts with his knife, and so he retaliates Alex's strike, landing a long cut down his forearm. Blood pools at the wound easily, and fury clouds Alex's eyes as he strikes again, this time finding Jakkob's other leg, this time with enough force to cut into the bone. Jakkob falls now, useless against the stronger boy, and waits for the final blow.

But it doesn't come. Alex is gone. He must know he's finished the small boy off. There's no way he could have enough sponsorship to last through this one.

It's been a good day, I decide. Two fights already. And who knows if there's more to come?

* * *

**Injuries: Alex (d6) (severity: 3.5/12) **

**Jakkob (d12) (severity: 10/12)**

* * *

**COLOR KEY (for blinking map references):**

**1: red, ****3. light orange, ****4. deep orange, ****5. yellow, ****6. light blue/teal, ****7. navy blue, ****8. lavender/purple, ****10. pink, ****12. light gray, ****13. black**

* * *

**WHO's LEFT? (13/26 alive)**

**d1: Glory Spindel**

**d2: -**

**d3: Benjamin "Sparky" Wirespark**

**d4: Serena Tranquillo & Dylan Seanide**

**d5: Khan Augustine**

**d6: Alex Train**

**d7: Piper Ravine & Ashton Holt**

**d8: Chayene Kanye**

**d9: - **

**d10: Sean Dmitri**

**d11: - **

**d12: Jakkob Corner**

**d13: Clare Brooks & Jared Pierce**


	22. twenty (day six part one)

**_...three/four days_**** later... (day 6)**

**deaths during this period: Jakkob Corner**

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (Zephyrme) **

It's been quite the uneventful three days, if I say so myself. If my hashmarks on the tree are correct, I've just woken up on day 6. No canons since that poor District 12 boy, who died in the night, probably slowly and painfully by the careers. Not the death I want to go by, certainly.

I've kept my main camp here, happily eating my bread and some of these interesting roots. It's getting monotonous, sure, but hey! Beats starving. Besides, I doubt anyone knows I'm on this island. I'm golden, right here, right now. I might even be working up some sponsorship.

After waking up slowly in my warm little tent (how great is this?), I rise to go hunt breakfast. Ha. I can't hunt, at least not very well, but I've attempted to bend and glue metal so I have a somewhat handy knife. I spent a lot of time at the edible plants station in the training center, so combined, I have a nice food awareness level.

Quickly, I find seven or eight different types of leaves, sweet, spicy, crunchy ones, and a couple handfuls of giant pears. As I'm returning to my camp, I discover some hanging vine-nuts, but stray away from those, as I remember they have a tendency to alter your mind.

Using a makeshift bowl, my knife, and a stick, I make a nice little pear-leaf paste to spread on my nutty bread. It's great, really. I'd even eat this at home!

If I make it home, that is.

* * *

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE TRIBUTE (orTherefore)**

I honestly think I've been forgotten. I've been sitting on this particular island for what, the good part of six days, and no one has even ventured onto it, I can tell because the little sand piles I've left on the bridges (which move, so I have to replenish the sand every day or so) remain un-altered, and the springy moss around me reveals no evidence of passing. This is a great island though.

It's covered with edible food. From those great pears and jungle apples, to peanuts in the ground, to a plethora of different nuts (I stay away from the vine-nuts, however).

Heck, I haven't even moved _trees_ after I got to this island. This one is a great camp, high enough that I can see over the tree line and onto other islands, and foliaged enough so that I can't be seen from neighboring islands. I spent the majority of my days watching. Watching the careers as they mope at first after William's death, and then decide to take a couple days off from hunting. Good for me. But, you know, I'm almost as safe as you could get with this island, one of the closest to the cornucopia. After moving to the farthest away one at first, I realized that was stupid, as that's probably what everyone did, and swam/walked to this one after dark fell.

I feel very safe here, for the time being at least.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE (mkraemz)**

"Breakfast?" I murmur, still half asleep, curled up in my sleeping bag. "Breakfast?" I say again.

"Shut up." Piper tells me, but I can tell it's not meant in a malevolent way. Soon enough, a small pile of cooked grain gloops onto my plate-sized leaf, followed by two legs of wild bird. I tear into the food immediately, noticing that Piper has made good use of the spices that she and I carried in our bags, salt, paprika.

"You're a good cook." I say in between bites.

"I guess." She smiles, and then serves Chayene.

"It's been an uneventful three days." The girl says awkwardly. I guess I would feel awkward too, since Piper and I come from the same district and actually know how to do things. But Chayene's learning fast, she can take down one of those wild birds down with an arrow almost every time, and she's learning all the edible food and plants. Sometimes I wonder if it's a good thing we're teaching her all of our tricks, but, whatever. She'll probably die off at the hands of a career after she killed one of their own.

Right? Because I really don't want to have to kill her.

Really don't.

* * *

**SENECA CRANE, HEAD GAMEMAKER (Suzanne Collins)**

"Our plan has worked too well, Seneca." One of the nameless lowly game-makers says nervously. "The capitol, they're already talking about how boring these games are."

"Those fickle fools." I mumble. Just three days ago, they were saying that these games were going much too fast. "We made sure that fourteen tributes died within the first four days. We gave those nuts to that pathetic district 12 boy so we could control him, we made sure with the bridges that we would get the first encounter between the district seven/eight alliance. Fickle fools." I repeat.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Another one of the name-less asks nervously.

"It's simple. We give them what they want." My assistant, Genevieve responds cooly. I agree wholeheartedly with her. We can't let them get bored. It would reflect poorly on all of us.

"But sir." The first speaker speaks again, waving over the automated tribute map. He points to it, obviously waiting for a response. I look at the map carefully. On the island marked 'cornucopia' I see five dots: one red star, both a dark orange star and a circle, a black star and a black circle, clustered together. The only other cluster I see is on island twelve, made up of a navy star, a navy circle & a purple star. That makes eight. The remaining four tributes are all over the place. They're's a pink circle blinking on one of the middle islands, a light orange circle almost completely opposite it. A light blue circle blinks on one of the outer islands, while a yellow circle is close by the cornucopia.

"They're all spread out." Genevieve complains. "This island idea has flaws."

"Wait." I suddenly get an idea. "One of you, check the ratings. When was watcher-ship the highest?"

"Easy." Genevieve doesn't even look. "So far, it was morning of day two, after District 10G died, and right before the attack of the careers on the 7/8 alliance."

"That doesn't help." I murmur. "We need something to keep the watchers involved."

"It's going to be hard to get one of the tributes to fight with another."

"Who said it had to be by tributes?" I smile, suddenly happy.

"No." A smile lights up on Genevieve's face. "The kill-switch?"

"No, I'm thinking more of -" I whisper the rest in her ear. This will be a splendid surprise.

**1: red, ****3. light orange, ****4. deep orange, ****5. yellow, ****6. light blue/teal, ****7. navy blue, ****8. lavender/purple, ****10. pink****, ****13. black (stars: girls, circles: boys)**

* * *

**DEATHS: **

**14. Jakkob Corner (12M); BY Alex Train (district 6); leg wounds from axe (not thrown)**

**ALEX TRAIN IS NOT DEAD**


	23. twenty-one (day six part two)

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE TRIBUTE (MTNGWN)**

As the day quietly passes from late morning into early afternoon, I become more restless. It's been too long. I can feel it. Things are about to get dangerous. And with Ashton tying me (_us_) to the ground, I (_we_) can't exactly take to a tree. His leg, it's not awful, he'll heal, but aggravating it might make it worse.

"We don't know what will happen, Piper." Chayene's voice shocks me. She has hardly spoken at all today, simply melting into the trees every now and then with my bow and arrow to replenish our food, as Ashton's hungry hands are not helping us store anything. We've managed to keep the coals hot without giving off any smoke, and we've slowly cooked over ten of those greasy little birds over the past two days. They're good, but I'm getting sick of them. Just like I'm getting sick of waiting.

"Exactly."

"We're just as safe waiting here as any other place. We don't know what's going to happen. All we know, the careers could have someone right now. There might be a canon in three seconds. We just don't know."

"I guess that's right." I murmur, but my instincts are to flee. To run far and leave Chayene and Ashton both.

Could I? Would I? Should I?

* * *

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE TRIBUTE (solacing)**

All of us are antsy.

"Is it way too late to go find someone?" Serena asks, raising her fingers to her mouth instinctively.

"Yes." Glory and I say in unison, while everyone else nods.

I continue, "Serena, whatever's coming probably won't affect us. Probably one of the outer ring tributes, I bet."

"Are you sure?" Dylan mumbles, mindlessly eating a biscuit at our feet. I know how he feels. They're's nothing else to do but eat. Nothing at all.

"Might as well sit." I grab one of Dylan's biscuits, and munch on it as I survey the arena.

It's almost exactly the same as it was on day one, except the bridges have shifted once again. From what I can tell there's now two bridges connecting the cornucopia island to surrounding ones, oriented at ten and two. No one would dare come onto our island now, not with us five still remarkably un-injured. I don't see any life out on the islands, even the wind's stopped, leaving the air still and flat. It's another boring day.

But not for long.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (Lighty 7)**

I'm following Jared's gaze out into the sea of islands when I hear it. It's a low buzzing, rumbling sound, but it continues growing until I'm positive every single one of us is aware of it. Soon enough, everyone's headed into the cornucopia, clutching weapons and running for the safety of the curled hutch with all the supplies. We're shaking dramatically, and eventually we all just cram together so we're not hitting the walls of the cornucopia.

The shaking gets more and more intense until it feels like our island is going to submerge due to the shockwaves. But it's not our island that succumbs to the shaking. It's one pretty far out, near where Glory said William died. William.

I shake my head of the thought and stick my head out further and watch while the palm trees on the island slowly get shorter until it's just the tips. And then the island's completely gone, probably retreating to some dark dungeon of the game makers. But the island was not empty.

A tribute splashes around pathetically, seemingly tied down to something heavy. Or maybe he can't swim.

"Can I have one of the binoculars?" I ask Dylan, who's on his forearms right beside the pack.

"Sure." He tosses me one, and then quickly gives Jared the other.

I can halfway recognize the tribute now, it's either the boy from six or the boy from ten. It's hard to tell.

* * *

**GENEVIEVE LOGAN, ASSISTANT HEAD-GAMEMAKER (radieux)**

"I doubt that'll be enough, Seneca." I say lowly, as I watch the boy from ten splash around in hopelessness, trying to save the shield he received earlier from a sponsor.

"What's with all of these crazy non-favorite tribute gifts this year?" I wonder, after no one answers my first statement.

"I guess with the re-start, people are crazy generous." Thoman, one of the regular gamemakers says seriously.

"Genevieve." Seneca sighs. "I assume you're right? Shall we get him to give us a good show?"

"Him? Why not the careers?" Thoman asks. "Seems like they would put up a better one."

"No, we don't like to send the mutts after the careers until at least day ten. Gives people chances to become attached, and then spend more money."

"Should I go for it?" My hand is on the lever.

"Release the mutts."

* * *

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE TRIBUTE (orTherefore)**

"Holy shit." I cry instinctively as soon as I spot the first mutt surface. It has been too long. No deaths + three days = boredom in the capitol. And the gamemakers cannot have that.

I thought it was going to stop when the island disappeared, leaving Sean splashing with his sword towards an island. But now, I can see Sean looking back, and now completely dropping his shield and going for the nearest island at high speed. But it's almost no use.

The mutts are something I've never seen before. They look almost human, but they don't have feet. Instead, a scaled flat tail that they use to propel themselves through the water. Their hair is in rainbow hues, while their hands curl in cruel claws. I see eight total.

At first, it looks like all of them are going after Sean, but no. They're splitting up. I can see two going after Sean, three singles headed out to various islands, and two headed as a pair towards the career hideout. And then, to my horror, I see one coming towards me.

* * *

**Another chapter? I must be crazy. **


	24. twenty-two (the mutts attack part one)

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE**

Jared and I are one of the first one's up, readying our weapons. These mutts, they mean business. In-between checking their progress against the other islands, I mentally map out where the other mutts are headed. They're obviously heat-sensor, otherwise they must have our locations programmed in. It might be useful to see where people are.

I'm shocked no more than two are headed after us, but then again, the audience probably doesn't want to see us dead yet. Provided these are easy to slice through, we're golden. I hear the clink of knife on knife and I know Glory must be getting her knives set. The sound of metal on leather reverberates forward, and I know Clare must be ready as well.

This'll be easy. I hear Serena take my flank, and she has a long saber-like knife. It's shaking slightly, but I pretend not to notice.

Slither by slither, the weird half-human mutts find their way to us. They slowly make their way up the beach, but I know they must be dangerous. So I strike first. My sword finds it's way home, snapping off the neck and head. The sound of metal against bone confirms that Serena and Clare have taken down the other.

Panting, I step back from the body, turning my back.

But this is the wrong move.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE**

"We're almost out of food." That's the last sentence I hear Piper speak before the rumbling mess starts. Our island must be close to the epicenter of this what do they call it -earthquake-, because trees are going down left and right. Thankfully, we're in a wide clearing, but even though, a elm barely misses Piper's form as she runs towards us.

"Pack up. Now. We have to go to the beach to see what's going on." No one questions her command. I get up and rush for the first time in a day, trying desperately to get everything we need. I hand the bow and arrow to Piper, who slings it across her shoulder at once, along with all of the packs I quickly assemble. Chayene has her axe and her backpack, while I only carry my own axe. I might go down if I'm running, and we don't want to loose anything.

"Let's go!"

We set off at a cautious half-run, dodging random falling trees as we try and go the quarter mile to the beach. It takes us about five minutes, which leaves Piper frustrated, but finally we break through the trees.

"Not. Good."

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL** **RESIDENT**

This is so intense! Wow, and we all thought these games were verging on boredom! _So_ not the case.

These mutts, I love them! Of course, they're not exactly beautiful, but they've got this neon hair that you've got to love. I wonder if I could get mine to that hot pink shade one of them is rocking. The mutts though, they don't have a face, instead the silvery scales continue their way up from the neck. They're naked from the hips up, and they don't have legs. Instead, they have this weird tail thing that they can wiggle to get around to places. It matches their hair.

"Ooh look! Dylan just got one of them!" Poxi calls out. You can almost hear the lovestruck tone in her words. Pathetic. I, personally, like Jared more. Or even that slightly insane boy from six.

I turn my head towards the screen, and sure enough, Dylan has taken a head off of one of the monsters. Almost a moment later, Serena skewers another's neck with her long scimitar, while Clare's knife catches it in the heart.

"Nice hit." My dad says softly, and I hear the scratch of a pencil against paper. He's a big better, and he loves to guess early on and still get it right. It makes him look more important at the parties he goes to, I guess. "Do you think that goes for Serena or Clare?"

"I think Clare killed it, but Serena's would have if Clare wasn't there." My mother responds in soft tones, as I turn my attention back to the screen.

The image on the screen splits, and my mouth gapes as I try to take it all in. They're's four screens. The top two are a bit larger, and one shows the drama I just saw, while to the left of it, the boy from ten who's island just disappeared is trying desperately to make it to shore while outrunning two black-haired mutts. It's getting serious.

Finally, the boy manages to get to shore, but I know he's in trouble. Right now, he's sandwiched between Piper, Ashton & that girl from district 8 and the mutts. Obviously, he believes the latter is more dangerous, so he heads up the beach towards the others at a run, busting their line open and leaving them to deal with the mutts. Almost immediately, Chayene's axe takes off one's head, but before Piper can aim an arrow at the other, I gasp.

Unbeknownst to the tributes, the camera is focused on the headless body of the mutt. Suddenly, in the timespan of one blink, it's not headless anymore. In fact, while one head grows quicker than anything I've ever seen, the old head on the ground is rolling back towards the body, and it fastens with a sickening pop next to the new one. It's now two-headed.

Piper has the sense to poke Ashton and take off running after the district 10 boy, but Chayene obviously doesn't get it at first, and aims her second axe at one of the heads.

"Well that was idiotic." I murmur, as I watch the re-severed head fasten itself in between the two new ones. "And there she goes." Chayene takes off running, and I glance at the other screens. Two still just show the mutts doggedly swimming towards islands, but the career one is interesting. One of the mutts has got a hold of Dylan, and is slowly dragging him back to the water. But soon enough, Serena catches on, and quickly dispatches the mutt of both of it's wrists. I watch eagerly to see if they grow back, but they don't. I guess it's just their heads.

* * *

**Well that was an awkward cut-off, but whatever... it needed to be broken up! **

**There will be a death next chapter. **

**And anyone who correctly guesses it will get +1 points. (if you are a non-submitter, please specify who you'd like your points to go to)**

**And a set of questions! You may answer one of these, and whoever gets it right first IN A REVIEW (too hard with both PM's and Reviews) gets +1, +2 or +3 (question 1, 2 and 3 respectively) points.**

**- EDIT: QUESTIONS COMPLETELY ANSWERED - ONLY BETTING (WHO DIES) and REVIEWING S&F will now get you points**

**1. Who was the first death of these games?**

**2. What is the color of a Chow Chow's tongue? (totally random)**

**3. How many reviews does my story Sand &**** Feathers on my other account (splendeur) have? **

**(point for anyone who reviews the first chapter of that ^ , by the way, even if you aren't first)**

**sp**


	25. twenty-three (the mutts attack part two)

**So this chapter's mutt descriptions are different in the career part. Lets just say Loxi is a little bit crazy (Looney!) and didn't get the events down right. **

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)**

As I stab at the muttation, few things go by in my mind. One, I've realized that when you cut off one of these thing's heads, it comes back with another. I realize that a second too late, and as I'm turning to shout it to Jared & Clare (Glory is by my side), I hear the snap of a neck, and the weird cracking noise that announces the arrival of a new head.

"Don't cut off their heads!" Glory cries after seeing what they've done. "Try to, I don't know, get their arms off or something." I immediately try and hack off one of ours's arms, like I did with the wrists. It's stubs are still trying desperately to hold onto Dylan though, even though he's scrabbling to get free. I loosen the arm at the joint, bite my cheek to avoid gagging, and hack it off with a final crack. I pant as I hang back for a second to see if the arm will make a reappearance, and when it doesn't I jump back into the game.

The mermaid's acting crazed now, it still doesn't have a face, but a bump has risen where one would typically have a nose, and hot steam is bubbling out. It swings almost blindly with it's stump now, thwacking Dylan's head and sending him down to the ground. In mid-duck, I roll over and check on him, but he just seems a little out of it. He'll be fine.

I narrowly miss the stump as I stand now, and I come to a decision. I stab in the direction of the split neck, sinking my scimitar in, just as a knife whistles by my head and into the heart of the mutation. I turn around, startled, and find Clare smirking. Jared battles the mutation on his own now, but soon enough he gets the sword wedged in it's stomach and it's dead. I sit back, and watch as they sink back into the sand.

"Nice going Gamemakers." I murmur. "Almost caught us that time."

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, D_IST_RICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

These game makers, they know how to get us moving. I'm crashing through the trees, one hand on Ashton as I follow the district 10 boy (Sean?)'s tracks. I'd really like to take to a tree and let the mutations follow him, but I have no idea if these things can climb. I only had a glance at them, and even that was uncertain. I don't know if they have feet. I don't know how dangerous they are. All I remember for sure is that they don't have faces.

At this pace, even, we don't reach the beach before we find the district ten boy. He's crouched against a tree, panting, and I slow to give Ashton a rest as we breeze by him and jog the last five minutes until we reach a clearing. I can hear the waves, we're so close, but Ashton's face is completely white, and I see no signs of Chayene. With any luck, that idiotic District 10 boy will stay at that tree and the mutts will attack him and not us. Maybe we could make it over a bridge.

But first, we have to wait. Which could mean life or death.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE (charliesunshine)**

I hear the shaking, but I don't mind. The tree I chose is rubbery, young, and it easily lasts the two minutes of shaking. Immediately I assume it's an earthquake, but we get them all the time in district six and this is not one of them. Too intense, really. Too unnatural. I'm guessing it's been too quiet and they took down an island or somehting.

So I go back to organizing the boy from twelve's items. I've put it off, not really because I feel bad about killing him, but that I knew I would be bored eventually. Immediately, I think about discarding the nuts, because I remember them from training.

_"This, tributes, is a Tooch nut. That's t-o-o-c-h. I'd say they can be found in the games every time they're's an opportunity for vines. So, not in a desert, but possibly a forest or a jungle. They're great in a crisis, but they contain trace amounts of tetrahydrocanabilatoida chemical, and if eaten in large amounts can result in a number of different results, including mild-to-severe pyschosis-" _

So I guess that's why the idiot was singing on the beach. I raise a hand to start throwing them, but then I decide to keep about thirty for ammo. He had a great slingshot in his pack, and as a last resort, it's not too shabby. I could probably get a couple people's eyes. Doesn't hurt to be prepared.

I'd judge it to be about twenty minutes later when I hear the hissing. My first instinct is to jump up and leave, but then I decide to wait it out. When the hissing comes into sight, I sit back and observe.

It's about six feet tall, with long spindly arms and an odd snake-like mermaid tail. Ha! I made the right decision. It looks too heavy for it to be able to climb.

"Gonna come and get me?" I taunt. As an afterthought, I take my slingshot and send a nut spiraling into it's head. The reaction is unexpected. It hisses one last time, and sinks into the ground.

Works for me.

* * *

**SEAN DMITRI, DISTRICT 10 MALE (Zephyrme)**

After the district 8 girl goes stumbling by me, I know it's time to move. Barely, in the distance, I hear the hiss of the mutts, but I'm still too tired to move. But I still have a minute or so before I really have to book it.

Finally, I can see the flash of gold-green hair, and I'm up and sprinting again towards the beach. Turns out I was very close, it only takes me roughly five minutes at this pace to reach it and tumble onto the sand. I pant on the hot ground, hoping that maybe they will go after Piper and Chayene and whatever-his-name-is, but I can hear their slimy tail weave through the sticky sand. I jump to my hands and feet and start crawling towards the water, where the 7/8 alliance stands ankle deep.

I lock eyes with Piper. Maybe she'll help me. I know Leo from her alliance is gone. Maybe-

I watch her raise her bow, first quickly, then slowly. She pulls an arrow from her quill, and aims it. I know the mutts must have arrived. She's saving me! Saving us! I make a move to turn to the trees, wishing Piper all the good luck in the world for saving me from at least one.

That's the last thought I have before the arrow sinks into my brain.

* * *

**A couple of you guessed right! Remember, all the dead past the bloodbath are randomly chosen by groups of five, and then by what order in that five. Sean got picked for (first five)(5).**

**Anyway: I'm going to start doing obituaries for the top ten, so one more before those start happening. **

**13. Sean Dmitri; BY Piper Ravine, arrow in skull**

**sp **


	26. twenty-four (after the mutts)

**KHAN AUGUSTINE, DISTRICT 5 MALE (orTherefore)**

When I see the mutt can't climb trees, I sigh in relief. But now, we're in a standoff. The mutt is looking at me, I'm looking at the mutt. Well, it could be looking at me. Hard to tell without the eyes and all.

"What do you want me to do?" I say under my breath, my head tilted towards the sky. Is the mutt going to start chewing away at my tree or something? Is it going to wait indefinitely for me to starve, and then feast on my flesh after my body drops to the ground? Really, the possibilities are endless.

In frustration, I rip open a bag of dried beef and start chewing on a large piece angrily. But it's too big, it's scratching my throat, and I spit it out into my fingers. Thinking of this as gross, I drop the piece towards the ground.

By pure luck, it hits the mutt on the head, and I'm laughing.

But I never expected the small piece of meat to cause the mutt to disappear. It sinks into the ground, still upset, and I can't help but wonder if -yep- there it is.

A canon. I listen closely for another, but none's forthcoming. Someone's died from these things, I'm sure of it. Now they have no purpose here.

* * *

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE (mkraemz)**

"Did that really just happen?" I say lazily, as we watch the hovercraft glide away, until it disappears with a small burst of light.

"Yeah." Piper says, standing. "I think we better move. The mutts could still be coming."

"I don't think so." I say quickly. "I saw how fast they were moving. If they were still around, we'd be dead by now."

"Dead." Chayene murmurs, and then buries her face in the sand. I can see she's not taking any of these deaths too well.

"Do you just want to make camp here?" I suggest, to Piper's chagrin. But Chayene's nodding, and it's a 2/3 vote.

"Fine. But if someone comes and you can't run fast enough to get away, you only have yourself to blame."

And with that, Piper sits and starts polishing her weapons.

Harsh. But whatever. She deserves to be a bit of a brat, after all, she's just killed someone, and that probably brought up our sponsorship rating.

* * *

**SENECA CRANE, HEAD GAMEMAKER**

"Success?" I say simply, as I watch the last mutt dissapear into the sand, after giving that district three boy's arm a hard twist. I see him rolling around in agony, and smile. People will like that. It's not a fatal injury, not even close, and I've seen his sponsorship ratings. They're actually pretty good for a boy of that calibre.

"Yes, sir. Viewer happiness just jumped four -now it's five- percent, to 90/100 even."

"Good, good. Can I get an update on tributes?"

"All of them, sir?"

"Just read off the list."

-List of tributes remaining and other essential information-

island 5 no longer exists. 11 tributes remain. popularity is based on reasonable things

island numbers are based on the distance from the cornucopia, not from each-other, even numbers are on one side of the cornucopia, odd are on the other

**D1 female: Glory Spindel. Stable condition. Small scratch on upper arm from mutt 1A. Location: island 1 (cornucopia). Popularity rank: 3**

**D3 male: Benjamin Wirespark. Stable condition. Upper arm twist from mutt 1C. Location: island 3 (third away from cornucopia). Pop. rank: 9**

**D4 female: Serena Tranquillo. Stable condition. n/a. Location: island 1. Pop. rank: 2**

**D4 male: Dylan Seanide. Unconcious. Undetermined injuries from mutt 1B. Location: island 1. Pop. rank: 4**

**D5 male: Khan Augustine. Stable condition. n/a. Location: island 2. Pop rank: 11**

**D6 male: Alex Train. Stable condition. n/a. Location: island 7. Pop rank: 6**

**D7 female: Piper Ravine. Stable condition. A few scrapes from trees. Location: island 6. Pop rank: 1**

**D7 male: Ashton Holt. Injured, healing. knife wound on leg by Glory. Location: island 6. Pop rank: 8**

**D8 female: Chayene Kayne. Stable. n/a. Location: island 6. Pop rank: 10**

**D13 female: Clare Brooks. Stable. A few scrapes from mutt 1B. Location: island 1. Pop rank: 7**

**D13 male: Jared Pierce. Stable. \\ . Location: island 1. Pop rank: 5**

* * *

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE (katnissandpeetaforever12)**

When I come too, it's night. I'd guess maybe nine. I hear someone shuffling through the sand near me, but I'm too confused to talk. Why am I laying on the ground? But as I slightly move my neck and my muscles scream, I slowly come back to consciousness.

"Hey, Dylan. I think you received medicine when you were out." Someone says, maybe Clare. "It's definitely not for us."

"Medi-cine?" I say.

"Yeah, for your neck."

I slowly sit up in short bursts, when I can manage, and extend my arm to grab the parachute for myself. It's a small black and blue striped plastic container, and the label proclaims something about muscle relief.

"Thanks." I say quickly, and dip two fingers into the salve and rub them all over my back. I'd like to say the effect was magical, but it was even better than that. It did away with my pain so easily that I swear I thought it had never been there in the first place. I sprang to my feet, and happily went over to our food pile and grabbed a pack of fruit and a can of tomato soup. Maybe a bit strange, but I can eat the fruit while I heat the soup.

"Can I start a fire? A cooking one?" I ask to the group, because our bonfire would be a bit harder to cook over.

"Go ahead."

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (Zephyrme)**

Really, I'd like to lie and say this arm twist isn't painful. But I'd be lying.

At least I'm not dead. I heard the canon, and it's dark. We should be seeing the names in the sky soon. As I think this, the capitol seal appears in the sky with a flourish, and we hear the trumpets.

After about ten seconds, the capitol seal moves to the back and fades a little. On comes the image of Sean Dmitri, the district 10 boy. There's no more.

The trumpets fanfare, and then disappear. It's dark again.

Tonight, though, I feel halfway safe. Surely the careers got attacked by the mutts too. They won't be hunting tonight, right?

* * *

**Okay, sorry for this chapter! It's a recoup chapter, and setting up for the next plot hill. **

**What did you think? Did you like the tribute update? Someone said they were having a hard time remembering who's alive...**

**rd**

**sp**


	27. twenty-five (after-after the mutts)

**2nd update of day, so make sure you didn't miss previous chapter, even though it was bad. **

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE (katnissandpeetaforever12)**

About an hour after I woke up, Jared gets to his feet. Clare follows soon after. I lazily look up, confused at the frustrated look on Jared's face. His features, those steel gray eyes and the brown hair standing up on end, are glimmering with the light from the bonfire.

"It's day six. Actually, in two hours, more like day seven. Who's dead?"

Serena sat up, seeing that no one else was taking the bait.

"**Alanze**."

"Gamemakers." Glory pipes.

"Uhm... **Artemis**."

"Axe team." The axe team is what we call the district 7/8 alliance, because all of them use axes. Although, to hear Glory & Jared tell it, she's handy with a bow and arrow too.

"**William**." At this, Serena's tongue gets caught up in the word, her face flaming red. She looks down.

"Axe team." Someone says quietly.

"The district 3 girl?** Ember**?"

"Was that the one I pinned to the cornucopia? Yeah, then me." Glory says proudly, picking her fingernails.

Serena has to think for a moment before the next few. "District 5 girl? **Summy**? District 6 girl? **Angelina**?"

"I think the first's mine, we don't know what happened to the latter." Jared starts pacing now.

"What about **district 8? Leo?** **Both from nine. Both from ten. Both from eleven. Both from twelve.**"

"I got Leo, I think." Glory murmurs. "Bloodbath. Don't care. Bloodbath. Don't care, and we have no idea what happened to the boy."

"So what's that?" Jared says now, his voice low. "There's eleven of us left. Us five. Three from the axe team. Three loners. What now?"

"You want to hunt?" Glory's up now, her light hair flying as she assembles her weapons.

"Exactly." Jared's smiling now. He starts pointing at us now. "We need to at least match any of them. Me. Glory. Clare. Dylan needs to recover."

"Let blondie take care of her." Clare's voice is low, but I catch it. So does Serena, and her face flames.

"What I was thinking. **Serena & Dylan**. Watch the camp."

"

* * *

**CHAYENE KAYNE, DISTRICT 8 FEMALE TRIBUTE (because of killian jones)**

"I am so fed up with him." Piper murmurs as we wade through the ocean late at night, spearing these awesome glowing fish in the dark.

"Why?" I venture out with one of her arrows and sink it into a florescent pink specimen. "He seems okay."

"Yeah, but I hate taking care of people." Her voice lowers, and for the first time in a while, I remember she's just as old as I am. Seventeen. She always seems petite and, sure, threatening, but small. "My mom & dad died a few years ago. I have nine siblings."

"Wow." I say, because there really is nothing else to say. "You take care of them all yourself?"

"No, my oldest brother helps a little. But he's twenty, he has a wife... and you know, life just takes over sometimes."

"Yeah." And then the words spill out before I can stop them. "I wish I had a brother or sister sometimes. It's lonely."

Piper doesn't respond, and I think maybe I've upset her. But then she looks up and smiles. "Well, you don't want nine of them. I can tell you that."

We chuckle, and then it's silent again.

"Are these safe to eat?" I ask, after we're done and have almost a dozen and a half between us. "Are you sure they aren't poisonous?"

"Anything cooked is safe." Piper says, and it's the end of the conversation.

* * *

**GENEVIEVE, HEAD GAMEMAKER's ASSISTANT**

The one thing I hate about this job is the meetings.

"These games have grossed thirty-two million thus far, sir. Mostly from advertisements, but sponsorship levels this year are high."

"Of course they are." Seneca barks at the lowly copywriter. "It's the restart of the games!"

"Sir," I place a hand on his. "We're doing just fine."

"No! This is a disaster! A complete, utter disaster!"

"Well, sir, there are several paths-"

"Genev-"

"Do something about it, or don't. Or shut down the games entirely and let everyone left go home." I widen my green eyes. "Which one do YOU want to take?"

"The first." Seneca runs a hand over his beard with a sigh. "Duh."

"Well, then, we have to spice it up a little. We've got a nice pack of tributes. Three more, and we're to the home interviews." I gesture to a monitor on the wall which is showing the games. "Looks like the careers are hunting tonight. That might take out one. Or two. Really, what we need to do is take out the uninteresting or unpopular tributes."

Everyone in the board room, me, Seneca, President's snow's eyes and ears (his real name is Jim, he's a lowly spy), the copywriter, and one of the highest ranking gamemakers after Seneca.

"Are you suggesting-"

"Yes. Write down your three least favorite tributes. Now. I will too."

* * *

**DYLAN SEANIDE, DISTRICT 4 MALE TRIBUTE (katnissandpeeta12)**

As Serena and I watch the rest of our pack leave the island on a bridge, we sit in silence. The bonfire's still flickering, scattering plenty of light all over the sand. It's a pretty night tonight. Close to our island, I see these iridescent white globe-like objects moving around, and it takes me a moment to place them as jellyfish. Far out, I see a cloud of rainbow colored glowing items, moving far faster. Must be fish.

"Um, so. How are you feeling?" Serena ventures, not one to be quiet. "Okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Good. You?"

"Well, I wasn't the one knocked out." She chuckles grimly, her toes creating patterns in the sand. "I really like this arena."

"Yeah. It's like home- hey, I've been meaning to ask you," I start, leaning forward. I resist the urge to take her hand. "What part of the district were you from? I'd never seen you before the games."

"Uh, not your part." Serena looks down.

"I know_ that_. I think I would've at least remembered your face if you lived in Poseidon." I name the arena of the district I'm from, which is a little bit further in from the coast. The towns get progressively nicer the farther away from the coast, contrary to popular belief.

"I lived in Seaside."

"Oh." Seaside's one of the poorest areas of our district. I try to avoid showing distaste on my face, like my father would have, and smile. "Seaside's nice. Reaping's held there."

"Yup." Is she embarrassed? I can't tell. "So, um, are you liking the games?" I add, when she doesn't speak again.

"No. That's a stupid question." She giggles. "I'd have to be Jared to answer "yes." "

"I guess you're right." I chuckle, running my hand through my hair. Why is it so hard to talk to her. "Or William."

At this, her face pales again and I groan. How stupid am I? I'm trying to have a conversation, and I mention the guy she seemingly liked. Or he liked her. All I know, is that I didn't like the situation at all. Somehow, in my twisted mind, I had thought that perhaps Serena had liked me.

"Yeah."

"What... happened?" I blurt. "You seem a little -attached."

"He kissed me." Serena says bluntly. "Behind the cornucopia?"

"So you loved him?" It keeps just getting worse. I can't control myself.

"No, at least I don't think so... I didn't really think of him much, actually-."

"Well, then." I see an opportunity, and in a split second decision, decide not to let it go to waste. I lean over and briefly press my lips against hers gently, only for a second or two. When we break apart, she has a blank look on her face.

"What was that for?" She says, and then, briefly, I see her blush. Her lips rise at the corners.

"Just showing you who's still here."

* * *

**Awwww... right? No? Okay. **

**Anyway, character building time! This story needed it, and I plan to write better from this chapter on. Sometimes, with most of the tributes (I'd say 10/11 of the remaining are okay)'s forms being a little wacky, it's hard to pull people out of them. **

**So, if you remember Genevieve's section, we're going to all be voting on your three LEAST favorite tributes. As I've said before, the five finalists are pre-chosen completely randomly (I swear up and down), so if you happen to vote for one of those 5, the vote will count, but be used later. Since I can't tell you who the finalists are, you're just going to have to answer honestly! This will help me decide when to kill tributes off, and who the readership just doesn't like. It can also be tributes you don't feel a connection with, that's alright. **

**GRAB BAG: Glory (1F), Benjamin (3M), Serena (4F), Dylan (4M), Khan (5M), Alex (6M), Piper (7F), Ashton (7M), Chayene (8F), Clare (13F), Jared (13M)**

**So review, PM, whatever! :) **

**Is this a better chapter? I hope so! :)**

**sp**


	28. twenty-six (day seven)

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE (solacing)**

"Are you sure that was the right decision?" Glory pipes from my left, struggling under the weight of her stuffed backpack.

"What, to leave the idiots? Is that even a question?"

"He's injured, not idiotic." Clare adds, to my chagrin.

"Well the blonde is just a love-struck idiot."

"They have most of the supplies." Glory groans. "All though it feels like I have all of them on my back." I agree, it's heavy, but it's what we must do.

"What if we need more?"

"Then, we go back to the camp and act like we're still in an alliance. They'll believe anything."

"They'll be dead within the week." Clare ruffled her hair, ridding the light brown of the random leaf parts that continuously blew from every corner of this island.

"_Ex_actly."

* * *

**CHAYENE KAYNE, DISTRICT 8 FEMALE (becauseofkillianjones)**

When I wake up, all is tranquil. The waves move gently across the sea, sloshing gently up onto the beach in a rhythmic pattern. The trees wave at the same pace, their gentle sweeping arms creating different patterns against the beach. The ever-changing patterns remind me of this thing my dad brought home once, a kaleidoscope, he called it. Except this doesn't have much color.

Color! The word awakens a hungry grumble in my stomach, and I wiggle my feet out of the sand-sleeping bag hollow I made last night with Piper. We each have our own little cut-out of sand, which works entirely because our sleeping bags are nearly the same color as the sand. Unless you were standing within fifteen yards, you can't tell a thing.

Anyway, I roll my pack into the bottom of the hollow and start walking into the forest. We've stored the fish and most of our dried food in the forest, behind this great hollow willow tree. I grab one of the fish now, choosing one with bright green scales, and a pack of marshmallows. Call me weird, but I have a craving for something sweet, and they will serve as dessert.

In no time, I fashion a small pit and spit combination with rocks and brush. A spark from one of my matches easily ignites the brush, and my fish is gutted and cooking within ten minutes. Now I sit back, idly watching the meat turn from tan, to dark tan, to golden brown. I'm not sure exactly how long to cook the fish, but pull it off the minute the dark brown starts merging into black.

It takes a while for it to cool down, and to waste time, I start thinking of home. There's eleven of us left. Ten to go, if I want to go home, including Piper and Ashton. If I'm to kill them before they kill me, I should probably start planning how to get rid of them. I could last on my own, maybe get a few sponsors, dodge some throws, and hey, maybe I'll be going back to district 8.

Finally, the fish is cool (enough). It still sizzles slightly, but I ignore the heat as I raise the meat to my mouth. It's good. Too good, almost, since I immediately sink my teeth into the flesh again and again. In fact, the fish is almost gone when I first feel the burning.

It's in my throat, my hands, my feet, my stomach; everywhere. I'm shocked, I can't move my muscles. I'm tipping backwards, I feel it, and this is bad because the fire is behind me. I'm falling into the coals. More heat. But I'm slowly slipping away. I can't think. I can't- I-

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE (tinkerbell980)**

Boom.

"Damn." I look up, surprised. "Another one down."

"Who the hell got that one? The axe team?" Jared grumbles, obviously upset that it wasn't his. "Idiots."

"I think the boy is injured, and haven't they been on the defensive this entire time?" Clare blinks, widening her eyes. "They aren't complete idiots."

"Who's left again?" I ask

"You." Clare muses. "The idiots, that weird emo kid from district 5, District 6, both from district 7, um... girl from district 8, and... me & Jared."

"Jared and I?" I grin, and jump away as soon as she flings a daggar at me, the blade finding home in a tree-trunk. As Clare trudges over to retrieve it, I think out loud.

"I hope it was one of the axe team." I say.

"Yeah. Or one of the loners. Would be nice to get them out of the way."

"Hey! Maybe it was one of the idiots!" Clare says with a complete straight face, and we loose it. Our laughter is surely heard by at least one tribute, but who cares.

"They can't last, what, eight hours without us?"

* * *

**OLEVAN RODEGERTS, MID-RANKING GAMEMAKER**

"And... she's gone." Someone cues me, and I press my foot into the button that signals the canon. I can see the marker now too, Chayene's life meter has gone to 0.

"Ten left. Good work, boys, coming up with poisoning the fish that late in the game." Seneca pats me and another gamemaker on the back. Chayene was one of the least favorite tributes of all of us, just for the fact that she was boring. It was lucky that she had turned her back, otherwise it could have been hard to get the honolade poison sprinkled on the cooking fish.

"It's sad we had to make those poisonous." Genevieve, the head gamemaker's assistant, murmurs. "I would have liked to see them turn into mutts or something."

"That was due for tomorrow." I blurt. "You know, until the change of plans."

"Oh."

"Yeah, um, well since you like mutts, or something, do you want to see the options?"

"Totally." Genevieve crosses the room, and all at once, I'm starstruck by her gentle beauty. She's not like most of the women in the capitol. She's natural.

"So, we've got the..."

* * *

**ANNNNNNND another one bites the dust! Ahh! **

**Day seven, we start with a bang. I'm sorry Chayene! You were a nice tribute, but apparently you were voted off because you were holding the Axe team back among other reasons. Oh well!**

**14. Chayene Kayne; poisonous fish; anaphylactic shock (that's how the poison works, FYI)**

**VOTING FOR EVENTS: **

**Firstly, do you want a mutt attack, or a natural disaster? This will be coming in a couple of days, but I need to know if you'd like your tributes (or other people's tributes) to endure a crazy animal or something dangerous having to do with water. **

**And sorry, I cannot transfer anymore points! I suspect a bit of foul-play, and so there will be no more donating points (reviewing and giving the points to people is okay). **

**sp**


	29. twenty-seven (day eight part one)

**PRESIDENT SNOW**

"And remind me, why is it day seven, in two minutes day eight, and only sixteen of them are dead?" I speak slowly, knowing full well _why_, but it's nice to see dear Seneca squirm.

"We're trying to drag it out. Make it more interesting."

"Well, you only have a few more days to make sure they're down to the final eight. I'd say, two."

"Don't worry, sir." Seneca took a compulsory glance up at my screen that was playing the main hunger games channel. "I dare say, we've already had a lot of drama this year, what, with the hick boy being driven into the arrows of the district 7 underdog, or the early career split?"

"Why do you think we continued the games, Seneca?" I blurt, and gently place my hands back on the table.

"Um, because we want to continue the punishment of the districts and make those like Katniss Everdeen suffer, as they are mentors?"

"It's because we've trained ourselves. We've trained the capitol! Who could ever think of rebelling, or even leaving, when we provide him this great entertainment every year? We're a violence-based society now. We need this."

It's clear my faux-intensity has scared the head gamemaker, as his eyes are wide now.

"Don't worry, sir. I'll make sure it's an interesting games."

"How have each of them died? I hope not too many from natural causes."

"I believe, fourteen of them have died from battle, but don't quote me."

"Get the real statistics. And please, son" I use the word with relish. "Let one or two of them die today."

"Will do, sir, will do."

Excellent.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

It was odd, yesterday, there were no other deaths except for Chayene's. Maybe that'll tide the capitol over for today too, because there's no way in hell that I want to deal with any natural disasters or the like today.

Of course, after finding Chayene dead in the fire pit, we threw out every last bit of the fish (a shame, if you ask me). The hovercraft came, we left, and then it was the end of it. Except for that moment the night before, I hadn't felt a real connection with Chayene, she was really only a burden. Now, we're on the move, which is excellent. There's so much to discover. Like, ten minutes ago, Ashton and I came across a great section of these berry bushes. I was positive they were some of the ones we learned about in the training center.

They almost replace the fish, I guess, combined with the nuts we have in stock and some of our beef strips. Still, pretty soon, we'll need more supplies.

Out of the blue, Ashton replicates my thoughts.

"Should we go scope out the cornucopia?"

"Yeah, if they still have their supplies there."

And they do. In an hour, we're standing on the nearest island to the cornucopia, watching two lone figures mindlessly wander around the circumference of the island.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)**

"Where are they?" I must have posed this question several times today, but each time, Dylan has managed to avoid it by giving vague answers.

"Hunting."

"I don't know, they'll be back soon."

"Why, am I not enough?"

This time, he stops me, and kisses me. It's a peck, really, but it still infuriates me. I could be out there, helping. But instead, I'm walking in circles. Circles. With a boy who obviously feels the same way I do, tethered to someone useless. But I'm not useless, I can do this.

I can't just sit here and wait.

* * *

**GENEVIEVE, HEAD GAMEMAKERS ASSISTANT**

With some kind of sick glee, the gamemaker (Olivan, is it?) counts down to the careers meeting the kid in the forest. The three careers have seen the small boy already, obviously, but the boy is oblivious. I know I shouldn't, but my heart pangs anyway for the pain to come for this district 5 boy.

The guy in charge of the sound suddenly ramps it up, and we're hearing every word spoken.

"And..." Glory, the girl from district one is saying. "We've got you."

Khan, the boy, scrambles back from the soft pine tree he was cutting into. But he's only backed into Jared. The boy bares his teeth maliciously.

"We can do this the hard way, or the easy way." Jared says slowly. "But I like doing it the hard way, so that's how it'll be."

I try and advert my eyes for the horror that comes, but sometimes I can't help but peek.

Jared's got the boy by the throat, slowly opening gashes down his arms and legs. This kind of torture is common in the eyes of the careers, but I never expected this calm collected boy to turn into such a monster.

Finally, even before dealing a final blow, the canon fires, I guess from severe blood-loss.

I really hope this doesn't happen to another tribute.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE (charliesunshine)**

When the canon fires, it shakes the very tree I'm in. Figuratively, of course. It just shakes my mindset a little.

After seeing Chayene in the sky yesterday, and hearing that, I'm guessing the careers are on the move again. It's weird how they only got one of the district 7/8 (now just 7, I guess) alliance, but I brush it off, assuming that Ashton and Piper must have been too fast.

Actually, if the time came to it, I wouldn't mind joining their alliance. But maybe the time has come and gone. It's the final ten, no wait, nine, and five that remain are careers. Or four, if the unlikely death of one just occurred.

So five careers. Two randoms, me and that district 3 kid. And another two-person alliance. Someone needs to take a few careers out of the picture, if any of us are going to win. Will I have to? Where would I even go?

I like it on my island. It's safe.

For the time-being.

* * *

**Final nine! Final nine! Final nine! **

**Chant with me! **

**Final nine! Final nine! Final nine! **

**KHAN AUGUSTINE**

**So, Khan, I liked you a lot. I felt like you had the potential, certainly to shake things up, but I always felt that you would go out without a bang, unlike what your submission stated. You were a nice little emo kid (no offense to real emotional kids), and I'm sure you will be sorely missed. By us. Not the tributes of course. **

**17. Khan Augustine; Jared Pierce; blood loss from wounds. **

**Q: Have I made a monster out of Jared Pierce? I hope so. It works with the little plot I have. **

**Soon the *s*a*ds w**l re*u*e **wn *o t*ree. **

**I feel like this story will narrow down soon. I'm getting a bit sick of it, as I've dug myself into a hole with these confusing islands. **

**sp**


	30. twenty-eight (day eight part two)

**ASHTON HOLT, DISTRICT 7 MALE TRIBUTE (mkraemz)**

"There has to be a way."

"No." Piper draws out the word, half squinting her eyes as she takes in the scene. "Not unless we go straight out."

"Can you take down one of them with your arrows?"

"Maybe. Not a perfect shot, but I can probably get one." Piper pauses. "But then, what will we do about the other?"

"What if we get in closer?"

"What, and risk loosing?" Piper looks ready to tear her chestnut hair out. "You're injured, like it or not, and I don't want to loose you."

I have to consider this. It's a disadvantage, surely, that my leg isn't fully healed. I'd only hold Piper back.

I'm still musing this, annoyed really that I hadn't thought of it, when I lock my eyes onto the male career that's with the female.

"Look at him!"

"What?"

"He's injured. He's limping, see?"

A new look has dawned on Piper's face. "He is, isn't he?"

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE TRIBUTE (charliesunshine)**

To be completely honest, I get a tiny bit scared when I hear the canon. There's no way this could be one person.

No, the careers are back in business. And as like as not, they might be coming for me next.

But what can I do about it? I'm about as safe as you could get.

I think.

* * *

**SENECA CRANE, HEAD GAMEMAKER (suzanne collins)**

"If we could only get them to go in before the reduction happens." I murmur, keeping my eyes on the ticking clock above me. It counts down to the set time when all but three islands will disappear, making things quite easier. It should help the games get over with faster as well.

"They will. See?" Just as Genevieve speaks, the girl of the alliance takes a running start and leaps into the water. There's no need for that, really, the water's only about three feet deep, and the island she's trying to reach is so close. The boy is a tad slower, easing his way into the moderately-moving current with caution.

"How long until they fight? Estimate, anyone?"

"I'd say under fifteen minutes, sir."

"Very well. That gives us a couple minutes to spare."

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

"Come on, Ashton!" I spit, trying to keep my voice down. I can see the towheaded girl in front of me now, but as I expected, she's not the observant type. What's really worrying me is that they could switch off duties soon, and I know the kid (Dylan?) would spot us in a moment.

After about five more minutes of crawling, we've reached the beach. On a whim, I bear-crawl all the way up to the cornucopia, and halt, catching my breath. Due to the tendency of the girl wanting to splash around in the water, we've got one, maybe two minutes until she comes upon us. I have to take her out quickly, and then we can move on.

"Piper!"

"What?" I hiss at Ashton.

"They're talking. Not patrolling. We can take them out together."

"Okay. On my count. Don't do anything that I don't do!"

One... Two... Three...

I roll out of my hiding spot, an arrow already posed to fly. When I release the string, it finds purchase in the boy's leg. A little off, but it'll work.

"Them!" The blonde one screams unnecessarily, and scrambles back on her hands and feet. I see where she's headed, now, back towards her knives.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Ashton raise an axe, ready to take her out before she can even try to aim herself.

The glimmer of the metal attracts my eye as I watch it sail towards the girl, who has her back turned to us. After it's about halfway there, I move to ready my arrow, to take out the boy at the same time.

But my arrow misses. The boy isn't in his original spot. No. He's on the ground, with an axe sticking out of his chest.

"Ashton!" I cry, because, there's really nothing else to do. Did this boy really just sacrifice himself for the girl? The girl who can hardly do anything at all, if you ask me?

BOOM.

This sound makes the blonde turn around with a shocked expression on her face.

"YOU!" She howls, and reaches down to look at the wound, realizing it's futile almost immediately. I'm posed with another arrow, and I let it go, almost at the same time she flicks her hand. Everything seems to be moving in slow motion, I can't make the connection to what it means.

But then, without even looking, I know the knife has hit Ashton. And then, a second later, a short cry of pain assures me that my arrow has found purchase as well.

BOOM.

And then, that's when the island starts spinning.

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE (tinkerbell980)**

"What in the literall hell?" Clare spits on the ground. "Another canon? One, this time that wasn't ours?"

"I'm sure the axe team ran into someone."

Right on cue, another canon fires.

"Maybe, if we're lucky, they got the district four idiots out of the way."

"How is tha-"

That's about how far I get before a slow mechanical click sounds arena-wide. Then, the island we're on starts spinning. Rapidly. Out of control.

"GRAB A TREE! OR SOMETHING!" I howl, before latching onto a small elm.

"Damn Gamemakers." Someone hisses from around me, I'm guessing Jared. "They can't let us do our own thing?"

"They need drama." Everyone nods in agreement to my comment.

Drama. Drama. Drama.

* * *

**Two down? Am I crazy? I think so. Anyway, final seven! Final seven! **

**ASHTON HOLT -**

**This character was amazing, really. I just felt like after you got injured and started being subordinate to Piper, and then your name got picked for not being in the final five, this was the way I thought a character like you would go out. Right after taking out a serious competitor. **

**DYLAN SEANIDE - **

**Honestly, this was like, everyone's favorite character. I'm really sad you didn't get picked for the top five, because I really liked you. But, as your form said, you went out defending someone else. **

**Final seven! Final seven! **

**Who will win: Glory, Benjamin (has he disappeared off the face of the earth? I think so!), Serena, Alex, Piper, Jared or Clare? **

**Place your bets now to who the final five are. If you get it correct, you get plus three points. **

**sp**


	31. twenty-nine (day eight part three)

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE (tinkerbell980)**

It takes a while for the island to stop spinning. I guess we're lucky that we carried all of our supplies on our backs, otherwise they would have been gone. The decision to split from the district four idiots is looking better with each passing second, as all of the remaining supplies are probably scattered among the fresh-water ocean. The only thing they probably have left is the reliable water source, and that won't last them long. If they aren't already dead, that is.

"Bets?" Clare says simply, and we all shake our heads. No one knows what happened. I'm not really sure anyone wants to know. But we trudge out onto the beach anyway, to see what happened. And then, we all gasp.

The islands. They're almost all gone- no, wait, not gone, they're bigger. And altered. Look! There's an island with palm trees and pines, all mashed together. But that's the only one that we can see, exempt from our own island and the cornucopia plateau.

"They're driving us all together." Everyone nods at Jared's comment, and we begin shuffling closer to the water, trying to make sense of the picture.

Surely, almost all of the islands have disappeared. Probably a couple merged to form that one over there, and, wait. We were far away from the cornucopia, now we're maybe a thousand, possibly two thousand yards away from it. We must have moved way in.

This is certainly a way to get more drama, I guess.

* * *

**BENJAMIN WIRESPARK, DISTRICT 3 MALE TRIBUTE (zephyrme)**

There I was, literally minding my own business, when this crazy whirling started. I had hardly enough time to jump into my tent set-up and pull the top down before the force sent me flat against one side of my copse. I didn't even have the good sense to count, to see how long it went on, but it had to be at least four or five minutes. At one point during the whirling, I felt this dull grinding sound, but I still have no idea what it could have meant.

I'm still not positive what the next action I should take is, but I risk peeking out of my tent, and then I have to hold back a gasp. Originally (pre-spinning) I'd been facing the water. Now, save for a small gap (really, it's barely three feet) of water, I'm facing land. Pine trees, to be exact.

What the hell was going on in the gamemaker's minds? Do they want me to get killed?

Well, I guess that's a stupid question.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (Lighty 7)**

It seems like even the water is spinning. Even I can't get my bearings. I'm upright, sure, but even with my past swimming knowledge, I'm feeling completely out of it. I feel dull pain in my lower abdomen, and whenever I accidentally get the freshwater in my mouth, I taste the salt and iron of blood. My injury has to be serious, but I can't do anything about it until I get onto land.

I'm avoiding two key things. One, Dylan is dead, because of me. Two, I killed a boy. Ashton Holt. This one's a bit easier to grasp, as I only did it in retaliation. If Dylan hadn't jumped in front of that axe, I would surely be dead. So the killing was only self-protection. Right?

When the spinning stops, I almost immediately slam into the rocky shore of an island, opening up more cuts on my arms. But I ignore the pain for now, and start scrambling up the rocks. I don't know what island this is, it could be one with another tribute waiting in the forest ready to gouge my eyes out. But I can't know.

Right now, I need serious help. The arrow only skimmed the skin on my stomach, but blood is flowing freely from the deep scratch. Let alone my arms, I'm going to need help from a sponsor if I'm to fix this.

Do I even have sponsors? I've only killed one person. Are they really willing to bet on me? Probably not. I wouldn't.

But as I'm laying back on the beach, almost empty of hope, my eyes catch something high up in the sky. The glare off of the object seems to be winking at me.

A silver parachute.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE TRIBUTE (charliesunshine)**

To say I wasn't totally freaked out by that would be a lie. I was thrown from my tree almost immediately, one of my shoulders taking the brute of the impact. After that, the pain kept me from getting to my feet, and due to the force of the spinning, I was slowly slipping towards the ocean. Luckily, my body eventually got wedged between a bush and a small tree, and that's where I lay now. I see no reason in getting up, moving. Surely, the others were just as affected by this as I was.

I give myself 30 minutes. At that point, I'll have to move.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

Well, it looks like my brilliant plan accomplished almost nothing but get my last remaining ally killed and take out a semi-threatening career. Or two. I have no idea if the blonde girl died, I have no idea where my arrow even hit. If it hit. I could have been imagining the little cry, but who knows?

When I eventually open my eyes, I'm floating a little behind the cornucopia's back. Just great. No close islands. But -wait- there were islands behind the cornucopia. Where have they gone?

* * *

**JARED PIERCE, DISTRICT 13 MALE (solacing)**

Once I come to the brilliant decision that they're trying to drive us together, we all mutually come to the decision that we need some rest. All of us are winded from the spin cycle, and there's been three canons today. More than enough to keep the capitol sated.

We don't need to go hunting for tributes right now, it should be easy since we're all roped in, but honestly, I'm a bit tired of this angry-tribute-killing mask I've had on since the games have begun. I can let down my guard for a few minutes right? We'll make up for it tomorrow, surely. There's no reason we wouldn't be able to.

Quickly, we come upon a perfect campsite, what looks like a empty water hallow. We build up rocks on the side, just in case, but with the dark gray tent, you can hardly even tell us apart from the stone surrounding us. A perfect place for relaxing.

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS DISTRICT 13 FEMALE (mkraemz)**

When the trumpets begin to blare, I set down the stick I've been carving (for lack of anything better to do), and wave the others out of the tent.

"Let's see who's left." Glory says, a grim expression set on her face. I wonder if she hopes the last two canons were blondie and injured-boy. I sure do. One less obstacle, and surely all of the supplies are scattered among the ocean after the spinning, no longer requiring someone to watch over them. But, I guess it would be nice if that was the district 7 alliance, because they're probably the strongest one's out there, save for us. The loners, we can deal with.

It seems like the trumpets go on for forever, but I guess I'm just eager to see the names.

The first picture brings shock to both Jared, Glory and I's faces. We might have hoped for his death, but no one really expected it. Dylan. Is blondie next?

No. The next picture that shows is Khan, our kill. That means Serena's alive.

Before the next picture shows, I run through the last tributes on my hand. It has to be the loner from six, or one of the axe team. I keep my fingers crossed for the latter.

Ashton's photo pops up onto the screen.

"One each." Jared speaks slowly, and my grin widens. We're likely the only remaining alliance. The loners's numbers have doubled.

* * *

**A recap chapter! A POV of everyone remaining :)**

**So, I'm gearing up for my next S-Y-O-T story, which is going to be a quarter quell, please state in your review if you'd like a notification when it's posted (so you can submit). **

**No-one's final 5 was correct! Try, try again!**

**Q: how do you think I should select the winner? a poll? **

**sp**


	32. thirty (day nine part one)

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE (tinkerbell980)**

The next morning, when I wake up, the tent is empty. The flap whistles gently in the breeze, occasionally carrying a word here, a thought there. I immediately scramble to my feet, because even this late in the games, secret meetings are never a good sign.

But there's nothing much secret about the discussion, Jared and Clare are only really sitting about four feet away from the tent, speaking about general things. Resources, food, the occasional wonder about how other tributes are faring.

"Ay! Glory's up." Jared spots me over Clare's brunette locks, and waves me over. "It's time to talk strategy."

"Yeah, we didn't want to like -keep anything secret or anything." Clare adds, moving her foot to reveal an intricate leaf carving. She sure does like to plan things out, I guess.

But when I get a good look at the leaf, I realize it's just the names of who's left. Seven of us.

Glory, me.

Benjamin, the smart one who we haven't seen since the first day. In retrospect, I guess it would have been smart to track him when we first saw him on the beach, but no one expected him to hunker down and make it to the final seven, even.

Serena the blonde bimbo that no one expected to last through the night.

Alex, the kid that no one really knows anything about. Not his training score, his interview, nothing.

Piper, the last remaining member of the axe team. Lethal. The only real threat we have left, but she's operating alone. She shouldn't be_ that_ hard to get, now that the islands are smaller.

Jared, our fearless leader. I really hope he goes soon. Clare's the same way, really. Both of them are from the same district. The only pair left, really. I'm the outsider in this trio.

Those are the living, but the dead is marked on a different leaf. Only numbers and a letter identifying gender, but I flip through the one's I know anyway in my mind.

1, Alanze. My poor, poor district partner. Gone before the action even started. 2, both. I bet no one expected both of them to be gone before the final fifteen, at that. 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12. There's really no one else to care about, right? I can't get all sad and gloomy; that won't win me sponsors.

No, I'll stay strong through the end. Because, I'm going to win this thing, one way or another.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE (charliesunshine)**

When I see the first streaks of orange on the dawn sky, I sigh in relief and ungrit my teeth. I obviously had fallen asleep, or something, sometime between the spinning and the middle of the night, because I had forgotten to take my sleeping bag out. It's been cold and severely rainy, but I didn't want to risk it after nightfall, afraid in such close confinement another tribute might be able to hear the rustle. Or see the bright yellow color.

Really, consolidating the islands could have been the worse thing the gamemakers could do. For me, at least. I've been going along, in my merry little strategy of staying alone, and hardly killing (after taking my rage out on the little district 12 boy). Now, I have to face the others. And that's what might just be the end of me.

If I'm lucky, that is. I could manage to possibly get to final four, or even three, and then be brutally murdered for the joy of panem. Or by mutts. Death is never pleasant.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)**

Even with the medicine to treat my cuts, the night was torture. We lost all of our supplies during the spinning, and I don't have foor nor a sleeping bag. The best I could do was burrow into the dry sand near the palm trees and knock down several old, brittle palm leaves to cover my head and body. It's almost no use, however, because the sand lost it's heat almost immediately, and became soaked with rain. But I didn't have the heart to move.

Now, I rise, anxiously watching around me for random tributes. I don't fear the careers, not now, because I'm almost positive they're on a different island, and maybe if we run into each other they'll let me rejoin. I think I may have spotted them once or twice, or maybe it's just intuition. What I fear is the randoms. Which includes me, Piper, Alex and that boy from district 3. Benjamin? I haven't seen him, or Alex, once during these games. They've probably drifted into unknowing lands, probably, but those are all gone. I don't know exactly what happened, but I do know that some of the islands had to have disappeared probably like that one in the beginning.

I really hope they all don't disappear and we're left to one, or none. That would be a horrible finale. Except, I know how to swim, exceptionally. Would I be able to survive in the water?

I hope so.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 MALE (MTNGWN)**

After being flung out into the sea and being soaked through, I guess the night wasn't that bad. My sleeping bag was slightly damp, but better than nothing, and I strapped myself into a tree, finally free of any people needing to be on the ground. I'm really trying to look at Ashton's death in the positive. He probably wouldn't have won in the first place, right? Better he's gone now, so I don't have someone to protect along with myself.

Jumping down onto the padded floor, I walk only for about ten minutes before I reach the rift. I jump across it easily, it's not a big channel, and I marvel at it's uniformity. It's obviously gamemaker orchestrated, the lines and angles are perfect.

Just a few feet past the line, I spot a bush of sand-berries, which are excellent with bread. One of the distinctive things I remember during our training sessions.

But, then, as I'm gathering the berries, my foot lands on something fleshy. Even through my sandals, I can feel it's a body. A remarkably silent one. Fearing all: the careers, Alex, or even Serena, I raise my knife and immediately send it spiraling into where I guess the neck is. It hits, barely, leaving a deep scratch. It'll kill, but not quickly, the way I hoped. The injured might still have a chance to injure me.

I drag the body out, which still has my knife in it, and retrieve the weapon. I lift it, ready to stab, when I recognize the kid. It's the boy from district three. The small one.

I-I. I can't do anything but kill this boy. If I let him be, he'll die anyway, from infection (I highly doubt he has enough sponsors) or just plain blood loss.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, because I just can't help it, as the knife punctures his neck. "I have to go home."

Isn't that the reason we all kill?

* * *

**Thoughts? Lots of you wanted reminders for my next quarter quell! Good! It'll be a nice, well-thought out story, unlike this one... ha! **

**And then there were six. **

**Benjamin! When I was doing the generated final five, I really really really (x6) hoped you would appear. I thought you could be a nice final three competitor. But of course, no, the gods were against it, and you got what you got. I had to kill you now though, out of the two that had to be dealt with, because it would make more sense. PS: Your form was the nicest one out of anyone submitted. I didn't even use half of the facts Zephyrme gave me :) **

**Who's left? **

**JARED **

**ALEX**

**GLORY**

**CLARE**

**PIPER**

**SERENA**

**Who will make it to the final five? One point this time, because it's easier :) **

**sp**


	33. thirty-one (day nine part two)

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE (tinkerbell980) island B**

After we hear the canon, our impromptu meeting screeches to a halt. What. The. Hell. Another one that's not ours? Is this crazytown or what? I mean, it is the hunger games, but traditionally, the career tributes kill the most. Not this games, I guess.

"Well that throws a wrench into things." Jared says smoothly. "I'm guessing blondie. Thoughts?"

"No, I think she'd be able to survive for maybe a day, if she wasn't injured." Clare cracked. "I hope it was the boy from district 3. Who knows what he could have been planning, I mean, we haven't seen him since the day we got here."

I nod my head in agreement, and arch my back in a stretch. Soon enough, today likely, we'll be hunting.

"Anyway, we need to clear out three in two days. That's all I'm budgeting for this. I want to get out of here fast, not wait until there's another disaster." Jared says cockily, he's obviously convinced he will win. This sets off something in me.

"Anyway, after canon 3, hopefully two days from now, we're all on our own. It's a free for all. If anyone wants to get it over with, which you both might, I'll probably get on the cornucopia plateau and duel. If not, I'll just wait you out until the gamemakers flush you out of the islands." He grins evilly, and both Clare and I roll our eyes. He's good with a sword, sure, but both Clare and I are good with knives. Long distance weapons always beat pure brawn, if you have a lot of them.

A kernel of a plan starts growing in my mind, slowly gaining purchase. Why should I have to even try to kill Jared? Why not take the easy way out?

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN) island A**

After killing the district three boy, I take to a tree. I deserve a break, and this death has rattled me a bit more than the others. It's just the fact that I happened to stumble upon the boy, still asleep in his tent, and then brutally murder him without him hardly waking up. What a great wake up call, huh?

My death, how would I like it to happen? Not like that, that's for sure. I'd rather go down fighting, not when I don't even have the time to react. But, actually, I hope that I won't have to die at all. It's the final six. That's sixteen percent. Still low, but better than the four percent likelyhood I had at the beginning. I've weathered through eighteen other tributes dying, three of them being my own allies. Three (or more, I can't remember everyone) have lost their lives at my hands. The careers, I don't even know how many they've killed.

Is it all a game? Is this all what we're here for? I lift my head, remembering the cameras, and glare flatly at a tree. I don't know if it has a camera, but it probably does. I really wish they could throw capitol kids in here too. Then, then we all could make them suffer.

There's a eighty-three percent chance that I'll make it to the final five. That's when the real betting starts in the capitol, I remember. Even now, with six of us left, they'll be a bar graph showing the chance each of us has of winning. I really hope mine's high.

* * *

**GENEVIEVE, HEAD GAMEMAKER ASSISTANT **

"And, to unveil the current standings, we have our head gamemaker, Seneca Crane!" I coo into the microphone, pretending that I'm not a freak for speaking to no one. Not no one, really, they're's a hundred cameras in the back of the room. All turned on, and blinking cold dark stares at me.

"Hello, hello!" My boss jumps onto the stage, waving a lazer pointer. "Let's cut to the chase, shall we? First, we will unveil locations. As you all remember, who could forget, we reduced the number of islands down to three. We've given each a code name. Island C is the cornucopia plateau, island B is the largest island, while island A is a mismatch of the smallest islands collided."

"No one currently is located on Island C. Island B has four residents, Jared, Glory, Clare, and Serena. Island A has two. Piper and Alex." He continues. "Each tribute has an average of two kills. The exact kill list is available online or on the stats channel. And now, for the general fractional likelihood of winning. This number is based on several factors, including sponsors, polls, online surveys, conversati-" He stopped suddenly, scrambling for other words to say. "Conversertionalists, which measure the conversations of tributes, yeah tributes, and otherwise general appearances."

"First!" He announced. "We have Jared Pierce, with the like of 25/100. Following almost immediately behind, we have Piper with 20/100. Glory & Clare equal at 15 apiece. Alex Train is at 10/100. Serena is at 5/100."

"Thank you and good night." He's stumbling over his lines, but I give him a big smile and a word of encouragement as he exits the stage. He's my boss after all, but I'm awfully afraid that he won't make it through as head-gamemaker after these games. I mean, they've been interesting, but nothing near the calibre of what the capitol expects for a welcome back games. Not enough bloodshed.

* * *

**Woo! Filler chapter for the win :) **

**Somebody dies next chapter, and a r**t **w**n a***** will ha***n. **

**Gearing up for the 25th still!**

**sp**


	34. thirty-two (update & end of day 9)

**As suggested, we will begin with a kill list, as it's awfully hard for me to remember, and so it must be impossible for you guys!**

**Numbers are by finishing rank!**

_26. Alanze Ryder (1M); land mines; vaporizing him, because he stepped off (BB)_

_25. Bloom Rona(11F); William Masyn (district 2), knife in upper back, slit neck (BB)_

_24. Giki Corton (12F); Artemis Owens (district 2), thrown knife in skull (BB)_

_23. Hawk Ericcson (11M); Artemis Owens (district 2), slit neck from behind (BB)_

_22. Artemis Owens (2F); Piper Ravine (district 7), thrown axe in skull (BB)_

_21. Ember-Maria Ashes (3F); Clare Brooks (district 1), dagger puncturing neck (BB)_

_20. Crimson Hale (9M); Jared Pierce (district 13), decapitation of the head, inflicted after attempted save of #8 (BB)_

_19. Summer Kinsley (5F); Jared Pierce (district 13), sword in ribs (BB)_

_18. Brinn Ivory-Hagen (9F); Alex Train (district 6), cleaved in half with axe (BB)_

_17. Angelina Sparrow (6F); Snake mutts; acidic slime (DAY 1)_

_16. Astrid Callow (10F); Jared Pierce (district 13), tree falling on top of her (DAY 2)_

_15. Leo Maverick (8M); Glory Spindel (district 1), knife in forehead (DAY 2)_

_14. William Masyn (2M); Chayene Kanye (district 8), axe in stomach (DAY 2)_

_13. Jakkob Corner (12M; Alex Train (district 6), wounds in legs, infection (DAY 3-6, unclear)_

_12. Sean Dmitri (10M); Piper Ravine (district 7), axe in skull (DAY 6)_

_11. Chayene Kayne (8F); poisonous fish (mutts), anaphylactic shock (DAY 7)_

_10. Khan Augustine (5M); Jared Pierce (district 13), multiple stab wounds (DAY 8)_

_9. Dylan Seanide (4M); Ashton Holt (district 7), axe in chest (DAY 8)_

_8. Ashton Holt (7M); Serena Tranquillo (district 4), knife somewhere (DAY 8)_

_7. Benjamin Wirespark (3M); Piper Ravine (district 7); multiple stab wounds (DAY 9)_

**_And the alive: Glory Spindel (1 kill), Serena Tranquillo (1 kill), Alex Train (2 kills), Piper Ravine (3 kills), Clare Brooks (1 kill) & Jared Pierce (4 kills). _**

**_UPDATES FOR THOSE ALIVE _**

**_Glory Spindel - career alliance, island A (large original island)_**

**_Serena Tranquillo - loner, island B (huge mishmashed island)_**

**_Alex Train - loner, island A (large original island) _**

**_Piper Ravine - loner, island B (huge mishmashed island)_**

**_Clare Brooks - career alliance, island A (large original island)_**

**_Jared Pierce - career alliance, island A (large original island)_**

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE (tinkerbell980)**

As the sun sets, our slightly-bedraggled, but surely in better shape than the others, procession pulls to a stop about ten yards from the beach. We've been patrolling all day, Jared's orders, but nothing's shown. All of the loners must be on the other island, quarantined, almost. Good. Maybe they'll kill each other off. Better to only have to face one opponent after tonight.

It's sunset, and while Clare goes about cooking baked beans and setting out some turkey jerky for the pack, Jared and I dig another hole for our tent. Weaving the net for camouflage after has never seemed easier, though, and I can hardly keep the grin off of my face. It's an omen.

My plan has been growing all day, really, and it's become close to perfect. Not only will it win me major sponsors in the capitol, but it's surely the best plan for me.

I'm going to win these hunger games. And the first step to my master plan will take place right after midnight. It only takes twenty minutes for our camp to be set, to eat, and then to retire to our beds. I immediately offer first watch, careful not to overdo it on the eagerness, however.

I can't have them discovering my plan.

* * *

**Short! I know! But don't worry! A new chapter will come today, if not tomorrow. **

**Whoever can more or less guess Glory's plan first gets two points! **

**Review away!**

**bridg**

**(sorry for not updating! new SYOT is in the works, however, and should be out this weekend.)**


	35. thirty-three (day ten part one)

I promised...

and here you go!

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

Tonight, I don't retire until late. Instead, I spent the last few hours wandering my island, hoping to discover a tribute or two. Really, if I can manage to get rid of District 4 and District 6, it's only me and the careers. A 1/4 chance.

But no one shows up, and I eventually assume that everyone's caught on the other island, the big one with no mixed trees. That's alright, because possibly they'll run into each-other, and maybe each loner'll take out a career as they go, and then it'll just be me and another. I want to go home. And now, I'm closer than ever.

When I finally do take to a tree, I pick one for comfort, not secrecy. It's a wide willow, with a great thick fork about twenty feet off the ground. I rule out all tributes being near me, and anyway, I don't think any but the careers would be able to accurately kill me with distance weapons before I wake up and escape. I mean, it could happen, but I would have spotted a three-man team on this island easily. I truly believe Serena's knife found it's way into Ashton's skull by pure luck.

Once I'm up in the tree, I slide off my sandals, tie them together and stuff them in my black sleeping bag. I can never sleep with those things on. Otherwise, the outfit we're forced to wear in here isn't that bad, although I wish I had long baggy shorts like all of the boys do. The girl's get leggings, which are great for swimming, but not so great when you're trying to run and people can get a good shot at your legs. Oh well. It was probably the perverted head gamemaker's choice.

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE (tinkerbell980)**

I wait a few hours before preparing. Really, I should have woken up Clare two hours ago, but that would screw with my whole plan. And it's not like they're going to wake up, it's been an exhausting day. Which, of course, is perfect.

It only takes fifteen minutes to get ready. First of all, I harvest about two handfuls of this great moss that I found barely ten steps from our tent. Then, I snatch one of Clare's good knives, the kind that's so sharp if you so much as brush your finger across it, it'll open up a cut in your finger.

Then, I take about five minutes to think through my plan. There are two that I have to get rid of in consecutive minutes, without the other noticing. The only problem in this plan is that both of them have weapons near them.

Jared's is a sword, while Clare has a pile of throwing knives by her head. The latter is much more lethal, but again, a better sleeper. So I cross over to the boy first.

I set the knife up against his neck, and prepare the moss to go straight into his mouth if he wakes up. I take a deep breath, through my nose, and then dig the knife deep into Jared's neck. I see the panic in his eyes moments before he shrieks, and I stuff the moss in just in time. But there's no use. He's already slipping away.

Boom.

Shit. I forgot about the canon. And this mistake might be my last. Clare's looking up, bewildered, and I have blood on my hands. Jared's dead.

"You!" She shouts, climbing to her feet. "What the hell?"

"Clare!" I say, trying to calm her. Because, right now, she doesn't have any weapons in her hands.

"Trying to betray us or something?" She cries unnecessarily, because it's clear that, yes, that is what I did. "Was I next? Answer me!"

"No." I lie automatically. "I mean, yes, you were." Truth will get me farther.

"Well fuck you, then, Glory. You just killed in the most dishonorable way. Betrayal. The problem is, I don't even feel like killing you in response. Yeah, sure, you got rid of our dictator," she pauses and then kicks Jared's body, "but I was next? Trying to kill two birds with one stone? Get out! Before I kill you. This alliance is over."

"Fine," I spit, because truly, I'm lucky to get away with my life. I snatch my pack and sleeping bag, and a few knives off of the pile, all while glaring straight at Clare.

"No one takes the tent." Clare says simply. "We burn it."

"Why?" I automatically say, because I just assumed she or I would take it. Why burn it?

"It's too big of an item to be split fairly. And we don't want another tribute using it."

"Good point." Before I can think twice, I light and toss a match carelessly over my shoulder. And then I get the hell out of there.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)**

I sleep on the beach that night. I dig myself a deep hole, line it with pine needles (thank god this island has several types of trees, and then find a nice piece of driftwood to keep over my head. It still allows me to see outside, through several angles, and I spot the lethal district 7 girl passing by my copse several times. After what I judge to be an hour after her last visit, I hear first a canon, and then a flame leaps up into the sky across the ocean. It spreads quickly, enveloping the left side of the island quickly. The gamemakers must have interfered, however, because the flame doesn't reach the side of the island that's facing me.

I wonder who that was. Could they even have collected the body of the person? Or is it just ashes?

I hope I don't die that way.

* * *

**And... here we go! **

**FINAL FIVE! **

**6. Jared Pierce (2M); Glory Spindel (district 1), slit neck while sleeping (DAY 10, early)**

**And the final five is: **

**ALEX TRAIN (DISTRICT 6) AGE 18**

**CLARE BROOKS (DISTRICT 13) AGE 16**

**GLORY SPINDEL (DISTRICT 1) AGE 17**

**PIPER RAVINE (DISTRICT 7) AGE 17**

**SERENA TRANQUILLO (DISTRICT 4) AGE 15**

**Thoughts? **

**sp**

**** you might get a second chapter today!**


	36. thirty-four (day ten part two)

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE (mkraemz)**

The moment I realize the bitch tossed a match at me, I'm gone. I grab my preloaded pack, the remaining knives, and don't even glance at Jared's still body as I shoulder my way out of the tent and run in a random direction. I should have killed her when I had the chance. I don't even know what came over me in that moment when I let her go.

I'm most likely not on her trail, but what I'm concerned about at the moment is other tributes. Who knows if I could be flying into a camp right now, not at all ready to fight. My alliance disolved only five minutes ago. I'm not used to being on my own.

It can almost be comical when I spot the boy in the tree five minutes later. I immediately divert my course, as he's heard my footsteps and has an axe ready. What is with all of these axes? At least, by eyeing the kid, I can tell he's not a thrower. Better for me. I pause behind a wide tree to catch my breath, and run through the remaining tributes in my head. He must be the boy from six, he's all that's left.

Gameplan, I tell myself, and quickly try and rustle up a strategy. I only have twenty seconds, probably, before he comes down from his tree and comes to kill me. Although I'm beyond good at throwing from distance, up close has never been my strong suit. Before I can think twice about the thread of a plan I have, I throw one of my daggars at a pile of dry leaves. The crunch is small, but it's enough to have the boy look in that direction. I spin off of the tree in the opposite direction, and within seconds, I have two knives hurtling towards him. One sinks into his thigh, while the other misses entirely. My aim was more than off. Stress, I guess. But even with the short cry of pain, I can tell the boy isn't incredibly hurt. I need a direct hit to the stomach, or maybe even the head to get him. But I only have six knives left. I could loose them all, and not get a hit, since this boy knows I'm coming now. Maybe, if I could get him to come down from the tree it would be easier. Less play with gravity.

* * *

**ALEX TRAIN, DISTRICT 6 MALE (charliesunshine)**

I hear the footsteps about two minutes before the knife sinks into my leg. Thankfully, I automatically pressed my back flat against the trunk when it happened, and the second knife sailed past my neck, close enough to whistle in my ears. That was close. I'm most likely dealing with a career, surely no others throw with this much skill. I do have a problem, however, because legs are essential for fleeing. And one of mine is hurting like nothing else.

It seems like the attack has abided for now, and I set my axe down for half a second to examine my wound. That's exactly how long it takes for it to clang to the ground, out of reach. I grimace, with annoyance and pain, and yank the cold metal out of my leg. If I can get this taken care of quickly, maybe it won't get infected. At least I have another weapon, now, though.

I reach into my pack, ready to apply some simple anti-infection drugs from the first aid pack, but my actions are halted. There. I see an orange flicker about ten yards away. Squinting past it, I realize the forest's on fire. Damn Gamemakers, I think, as I glance around in panic. These are healthy, young, rubbery trees, but who knows what a gamemaker has access to. They could probably light pure water.

Before making a plan, I glance around to see if my shadowy attacker remains. I don't see anything, not a sway in the trees, nothing, and I assume they must be smart enough to disappear. So I grit my teeth, and start climbing down the tree. I might be able to hobble away, maybe get to the ocean. Saltwater's good for wounds anyway, that's what they said in the training center.

The minute my foot hits the ground, I know I'm in trouble. I've misjudged the shadow.

I don't even have the chance to duck, I hear the whistle. Right before it buries itself in my back, I scratch a crude 'A' into the tree. It doesn't stand for me. No, it stands for Angela, the district partner I let die. And now I haven't even avenged her. I haven't won the games. I haven't made her unforgettable.

Boom.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE, DISTRICT 7 FEMALE (MTNGWN)**

The two canons in a row, plus the forest fire on the other island worry me. It's quite possible that those two were Serena and Alex, leaving me alone to deal with the three remaining careers. A prospect that I'm not happy about. If everyone truly was on the other island, leaving me alone, that means that they will surely migrate over here, since their island is getting burn to a crisp.

A thought I'm happy to entertain is that one of the careers turned on the others, taking out two of them, leaving only one. That would mean that everyone's a loner, which is much better in my eyes. Who do I want to be in the final four? Who can I kill? If I had a choice, I would surely pick Serena, Alex and maybe... Glory to be in the ending pack. That would give me the highest chance of getting back.

Even though I judge it to be barely two AM, I start packing my bag anyway. There's no way I would be able to sleep now.

There's surely going to be a death today, if not deaths. And I want to ensure that I'm not one of them.

* * *

**Final four! Final four! **

**Alex Train - I hated that your name was drawn first to die out of the final five. I didn't think you could win, but I thought you could definitely make it to the final three. Interesting character, and I'm sad to see him go!**

**ANYWAY, to decide the final three, and eventually the winner, I'm extending the choice out to you guys. This chapter, you have the chance to write your favorite tribute's name in the review and say, truthfully, why they should win. **

**I like all of these girls equally, so I'm having a bit of a hard time deciding. So; Glory, Piper, Serena or Clare?**

**Reviews are great! 2nd SYOT sure to be up soon! And yes, I am finishing this before I start another. **

**sp**


	37. thirty-five (day ten part three)

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE TRIBUTE (lighty 7)**

By the time I crawl out of my copse, it's mid-morning. As I upset the wood cover above me, I'm rewarded with a surprise. A laundry-bag-like structure is draped across the beach, topped by a reflective silver parachute.

Glancing around, I get up on the beach before I try and open the bag. It gives easily, and I stick my hand in, feeling smooth, soft fabric. What could it be? A bandage, for my stomach? No, it's way too big, and that cut's almost healed anyway. Tired of the guessing game, I pull the item out onto the sand, finally making sense of it. It's a tannish, undulating fabric, that seems to be blending into the sand. Roughly, I make out holes where an ankle or a wrist is supposed to go, and smile. It's body armor.

Putting it on quickly, I realize that it doesn't have a face gard, but that's alright. I can tuck most of my blonde hair into the back of the suit, and I probably can manage to hide my face and shoes.

I've been given another great gift. But why? To guard against knives and arrows? Why didn't they give me a face-guard? Wouldn't it be much easier to survive with it?

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL, DISTRICT 1 FEMALE TRIBUTE (tinkerbell980)**

Before dawn breaks, I swim across to the other island. It's really the only way for me to stay alive right now, as I would bet my life that Claire is on the half of the island that didn't get burnt. And there's no way I can hide from her. I know she must have killed whoever that was, her or Piper, and I'm guessing that it was out of pent up rage that she didn't get me.

There's four of us left. District 1. District 4. District 7. District 13. No matter what, the winner this year will be a female. But three others must die if I'm to go home.

I'm still not sure if I will.

* * *

**SENECA CRANE, HEAD GAMEMAKER**

"Updated stats?" I ask loudly, reclining in my chair. These games, they've gone much better than I expected. Now, I'm nearly positive that I'll get down to the final two today. And if I don't... well, I have mutts to accomplish at least one death. I could kill them all right now, if I wished.

"Clare - 35, Piper - 30, Glory - 25, Serena - 10."

"Alright. What is the fan favorite out of the four?"

"Male or Female?" We split the favorite polls by gender.

"Both."

"Male betters - Clare by far. Male watchers - Glory or Serena, tied. Female betters - Piper. Female watchers - Serena or Clare."

"Alright." I run my finger down the controls. "Who should we kill if no one gets killed by noon?"

"Sir, I believe, regarding the stats, that-"

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS, DISTRICT 13 FEMALE (mkraemz)**

I watch the sponsor parachute float by with boredom. I'm sitting in a tree, and I'm beyond bored. See, with an alliance, you have something to keep you busy. Talking, strategizing, whatever you want. You could even talk about home if you wanted to.

Home. I've been thinking about going back a lot. Will I be able to go home breathing? Or will I be in a coffin? I don't want my mother to have to see my dead body. She protested me volunteering so vehemently, the only way to shut her up was to promise that I would be the victor. What about my friends? Surely they're watching now, hoping that I'll come home. I wonder what their reaction was to killing Alex. Were they excited? Or worried, now that the field's only down to four?

If I don't make it home, I'll never know.

* * *

**LOXI LOONEY, FEMALE CAPITOL CITIZEN**

By some sort of miraculous feat, I make it out of bed before noon. I slept through both of my beepers early this morning, so I turn on the TV in my room, and turn on the recent kill recap channel, and watch as Glory slits Jared's neck, and then Clare takes out the last remaining guy in the game.

Fun, fun, fun! Honestly, I would be okay with any of the four girls winning right now. I just know that my family will be going to the huge ball at the end of the games (thanks to my father's connections), and I would love a picture with any of the girls!

I'm so caught up in imagining where the frame will go on my wall, that I almost miss the blinking red banner flying across my screen. It says something to the idea of turning to the main channel, and I do. I don't want to miss anything exciting!

Caesar, my absolute best friend, welcomes everyone to the show just as I make the switch.

"Welcome, Panem! A special event has been scheduled! A feast! Starting in ten minutes, the tributes will absolutely have to get to the cornucopia plateau, or risk something they may or may not need! He cuts to the announcement by Claudius Templesmith.

"It looks like Serena is already making her way over. Now, listen, Serena was just gifted some advanced body armor, which lets her be safe. However, she at the moment has no other supplies, and hunger and or thirst might play a big game in what goes on. Ooh! I see Piper on the beach as-well. Different side, and the waves make it quite possible for any of the tributes to make it there without much ado. Piper is placing down her weapons, I see, except for that bow and arrow, and starting to strike out towards the island. Anyone else going? No, I don't see any of them. The ex-careers seem to be sedentary, watching through the trees. And here we go! There goes the table, it's out, but neither of the girls are quite there yet."

"Is that- what is that on the table, Caesar?" Claudius Templesmith rumbles, and the camera zooms in on two bowls. One holds a blood-red liquid, and the other holds something icy-blue.

"I do believe that is life elixir, Claudius. The blue one. Even a teaspoon can keep your body going for a while. I'm not quite sure about the red, possibly it's dangerous?"

"Let's see."

And we do see. Piper, miraculously gets to the island first, and suddenly I'm confused. Why is she up there? She seems alright with supplies, maybe a little low on food, but no where near what Serena needs. I guess she just wants to take out some of her opponents.

* * *

**SERENA TRANQUILLO, DISTRICT 4 FEMALE (Lighty 7)**

I can sense the danger before it comes hurtling at me. I've put on the armor underneath my clothes, so the good thing is that you can't tell I'm wearing any. The arrow hurtles towards my stomach, and even though it gives off a dull pain, I keep running. I'm sure Piper's confused now, which is good. I just need to grab the bowl of whatever it is and get out of here before she realizes my head is open to attack.

I reach the bowl within seconds. And then I have to pause. What the hell is it? Two paces away, I see another one. Different colors. But what could they mean? I don't remember seeing this during the training center training.

I can hear footsteps behind me, and I turn to protect myself, trying to lift the bowl with me. But it's bolted down, and I have no choice but to snatch some with my palm and swallow it. I'm too hungry to let this opportunity go to waste. It's good, tangy, and I immediately duck behind the table in case Piper's coming. She is, and I hear the arrow clank onto the table, about where my neck would have been. She's close.

I try and crawl towards the cornucopia, ready to get up and sprint into the water, but my balance's a bit off. I can't put one hand in front of another. What the hell? I try again, but I can't do anything to get off the sand.

I'm confused, I can't think for a second. And then, my senses go dull. I can't see, I can't hear, I can't feel. I can hardly think.

The blackness envelopes me seconds before the arrow buries itself into my skull.

* * *

**4. Serena Tranquillo; poisonous trap set out by gamemakers, deprivation of senses and mind (Day 10)**

**Serena - I liked you as a character. You showed promise, however, I felt like you lacked the skill to make it to the final two. **

**ANYONE's CHARACTER THAT'S DIED THUS FAR: Please think about resubmitting to my QQ story that will come later today or tomorrow. **

**I've picked the final two, but this story will end in the next chapter. It's going to be an awesome 3-way showdown. **

**sp**


	38. thirty-six (finale)

**PIPER RAVINE (MTNGWN) DISTRICT 7**

As soon as the arrow lands in it's target, I snatch it, wiggle it free and do a running stride jump into the water. I don't know if the others are coming, so I waste no time getting back to my supplies and suiting up. I'm flustered now, because I feel more than trapped. We're down to an island. Maybe one of the girls is on the other, but still. There's no hope for hiding, only to kill before killed. And it's in this mindset that I start right into the forest, letting my instincts lead the way.

This is the most stressed I've been during these games. I shriek, which is never a good idea, at first when I crack a twig, and then when something bumps me in the head. I turn around, bow ready, when I see a blinking package on the pine-needle floor. Another sponsor gift? I open the large package and find first one axe, then two. Thank god! I lost all of my axes during the spinning, and I've been left to my bow and roughly four arrows, one which is practically unusable thanks to a slight bend. I take a few minutes off hunting now to throw both of the weapons, slipping back into my old ways.

Now I hunt more aggressively, my eyes searching the foliage. Only one of us is getting out alive. Now, I still don't know my opponents exactly. If I had to guess, it would be the two remaining careers, but Alex, the boy, could still be alive and kicking. I just have no idea.

I'm preoccupied so much that I hardly notice the flash of fabric in the trees. I turn around slowly, ready to lift my axe and throw, when I see it again. It's black, like our suits. A tribute. Without thinking, I lift my axe and hurtle it towards the figure, running with my other axe ready. It hits the girl in the chest, and I run over to retrieve my axe. It's Glory, with the brown hair and the blue eyes. I nod, satisfied. It's the final two now, isn't it?

As I'm taking to a tree (to take a rest) I notice something odd. There's no canon. When I look down at the forest floor, the body's still there. Before I can stop myself, I jump out of the tree and go examine the corpse. As soon as I flip it over, I notice the uniformity. The hard stomach. The hyper-realistic face.

The gamemakers have added a new twist into the games.

* * *

**GLORY SPINDEL (TINKERBELL980) DISTRICT 1**

The first dummy I see, I take it out without hesitation, taking sick pleasure in the way that Clare falls. Was that really that easy? I'll surely have no problem taking out Piper now. But not ten minutes later, I see another figure. It's Clare again. What the hell?

I take this one out as well, but now I cross to examine the realistic model. It's a robot, surely, but it's the most sophisticated one I've ever seen, even in the capitol. Now, as I walk through the woods, I take out three more Clare's and a couple Piper's to boot.

What the hell is going on? Is this some kind of sick trick?

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE (MTNGWN) DISTRICT 7**

I cross path with another dummy ten yards from where I killed the second. We exchange glances, but keep walking.

It's not until ten minutes later that I realize something. That dummy was carrying weapons: knives. It was the real girl. And we walked straight past each other. I run with two axes clutched in each of my palms until I reach the meeting spot. Then, I take off in the direction Glory went. Along the way, I see a dummy of each of us left. It's Clare, me and Glory. And I'm determined that I will make it to the final two with Clare.

It's idiocy that leads me to the clearing where Glory stands- the real one, I'm certain-. And it's pure dumb non-luck that guides my foot to a twig. It snaps, she turns, and a knife is lodged in my leg two seconds later. Shock crosses my features for two seconds, then I realize there is a way to still win this fight. I let my face go emotionless, and rigidly fall back onto my back. It hurts like hell, but if I act like a clone, maybe she'll let me be.

But, no, of course she won't. She's crossing the clearing, careful to examine my body.

It's when she leans over that I get another plan. In one smooth motion, I pull an arrow out of my quiver and shove it directly into her neck.

It's that quick. She's gone. I've outsmarted her.

Boom.

All at once, I can feel it. The models are gone. It was only to play with our minds. Now, it's the finale. Me and Clare. One of us gets out alive.

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS (mkraemz) DISTRICT 13**

The moment I hear the canon, I'm jumping out of my tree. A lifetime of watching the hunger games assures me that sooner or later, they'll figure a way to drive the final two into an area where there's no trees to hide the gore.

I start towards the cornucopia once in the water, knowing this is where I will either be lifted out of the arena into safety, or where I will die a gruesome death. I'm hoping for the first, obviously. It's better to get to the cornucopia first, anyway, because I'll be able to see whoever it is coming, and maybe even pick them off in the water.

It's almost relaxing now, knowing that it's just me and another person. Twenty-four tributes are dead, and there's one more to go if I'm to get out of here alive.

I think the sun has relaxed me into falling asleep, here against the cornucopia, because the next think I feel, someone has their hands around my neck.

* * *

**PIPER RAVINE (MTNGWN) DISTRICT 7**

The girl's fallen asleep! In the final two! How could you get more dumb? It's surely my game now. She's turning blue. I can win this.

Seconds later, the girl somehow twists out of my hands and plants a sandal firmly on my face, sending me reeling back into the sand. She's gone to pick up her weapons, I half-way realize in my addled mind, and I grab one of my axes and manage to get to my feet, stumbling a bit on my injured leg. I keep the other between my legs, easy access if I need it.

It's full blown warfare now. Clare sends three knives out in a matter of seconds, and it truly is dumb luck that they miss. One is so close to my head that it takes off a chunk of my ponytail, leaving the remaining hair's edges razor sharp. I retaliate, sending my axe, smiling when it clips her hip. She's slowed down now, I can see it, but her arms are unharmed. In seconds, a knife skims my stomach, and I gasp from the white hot pain. I quickly snatch my axe, and hold it up protectively as I shield the two last knives.

* * *

**CLARE BROOKS (mkraemz) DISTRICT 13**

I'm weaponless. This is bad.

Before District 7 can take her makeshift shield away from her face, I barrel towards her and take her down, sending the axe skittering out of her hands. I use my fingers now, scratching at her eyes as she writhes underneath me. I have this. I've almost gouged out the left eye to unrepair, and the right isn't too much better. I'm not feeling that well, actually, at this, but I take a handful of sand and force it into her mouth, clapping my hand over her nose and mouth so she has to swallow.

Why don't I just kill her? But I seemingly can't stop. I stuff more and more sand down her esophagus until she's hardly breathing underneath me. Then, I finally cross and grab a knife. I push it deep into her neck, trying to keep from gagging as red-tinted sand spills out to the tune of the final canon.

I'm the victor of the 76th annual hunger games. But at what cost?

* * *

**CONGRATULATIONS CLARE! :) **

**This story will have an epilogue, of a little more character development in the final interview. It'll be short, but expect that soon!**

**What did you think? Did you expect this? Are you mad, annoyed, whatever? **

**Review! All of the people that said they want a notification for the QQ story, expect it soon!**


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